Book Three (20 February 2023)

Launched

With ball

Thrown down field 

To starting wide 

Receiver, ball caught

As defense arrived, yards 

Run until safety tackled.



First

Spear thrown

By Trojan 

Alexandros 

Lodged in Achaian

Shield of Menelaos,

Former ducked Achaian's spear.



School

Master's

Syllabus

Passed front to back, 

Athletics replaced 

By vocabulary,

Greek grammar, from 'Iliad.'



Snap,

Ball to

Quarterback,

Sacked, second down,

Shotgun, receiver

Tackled, third down, I form,

Fullback tackled on the fourth.



Sword

Struck the

Trojan's horn

Helmet four times,

Broke, Menelaos 

Grabbed it, Alexandros

Swung, strangled by its chin strap.



First

Classics 

Lecture on 

Collision of

Sea borne, pillaging 

Greek warriors, Trojan 

Settled, city-state cultures.



Ball

Control 

To second-

String, quarterback's 

Pass to receiver

Intercepted, pick six

To end zone, team coalesced. 



Strap

Broken,

Mist covered,

Aphrodite 

Stole Alexandros

Away, Menelaos 

Left holding empty helmet.



Next

Classics 

Lecture on 

Fate, even if 

Foretold, gods meddled,

Encouraged, then withdrew,

Ultimately wouldn't change.



Towels 

Snapped at

Butts in briefs

After showers

In gym locker room,

Second-string not amused

With trick play during practice.



Zeus,

Hera,

Quarrelled, resolved,

Pandaros tricked,

Aimed an arrow at

Menelaos, swatted

By Athena, only grazed.



Each

Master,

As tutor,

Oversaw boys'

Educational

Progress, wrote term reports,

Commented on grades, sports, lives.



Wax

On, wax

Off drill, force

Applied at first

Commensurate with

Fair play execution,

Raised notches 'til whistle blown. 



Gods,

Ares,

Athene,

Apollo, and 

Aphrodite found

Alongside mortals, fought 

Achaians, Trojans, themselves.



Boy's

Cred with

Peers hung on

Perception of

Tutor's position

In school hierarchy,

Willingness to bend the rules.



Ball

Punch drill,

Second-string,

Starters, matched up,

Push back aggressive,

Pit drill, teaching staff forms

Active, shouting barricade.



Mist

Lifted,

Immortal 

Visible to

Diomedes, with

Athena's help, his strikes 

Lethal, toll conspicuous.



Each

Master

Assigned a 

Table at the 

Dining hall, with choice 

Of senior seated next 

To him in affirmation.




{18 stanzas/page}



























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