A Smokescreen Poem by Francis Duggan

In the news headlines we hear of a well known footballer's suspension rubbed out for three weeks for pushing an umpire
The powers that be must think we all are silly of such trivia one can so quickly tire
The huge coverage of sports 'twould seem a smokescreen for the major problems that we have today
And everybody not a sports fanatic despite what the sporting powerbrokers say.

We hear so much about this big game in September but who will win or lose won't cause me any care
And I'm not alone in my lack of sporting interest for people
like me are not all that rare
No not everyone is a sporting fanatic if that were the case how boring life would be
There's more to life of course than sports and football there's many other things to do and see.

In the daily papers far too many sporting stories such trivial matters given too much space
Yet not everybody is a sports fanatic and major stories take a minor place
We don't read or hear much about the poor and needy about life's big picture far too few wish to know
And on stories of life many hard luck cases not very many interest ever show.