Sports

David Beckham Poem 'Achilles' by Carol Ann Duffy, Poet Laureate

by Scott Wu | March 17, 2010 at 11:11 am

4681 views | 1 Recommendation | 1 comment

Carol Ann Duffy's 'Achilles': Poem Inspired by David Beckham's Injury

Carol Ann Duffy's latest poem "Achilles"was inspired by David Beckham's recent ankle injury. David Beckham was injured in a game against Chievo Verona on Sunday March 14. Beckham tore his left Achilles tendon while playing for AC Milan, and will miss the 2010 World Cup.

Carol Ann Duffy, the Scottish poet who was appointed Britain's poet laureate in 2009, wrote the poem "Achilles", referencing the Greek hero Achilles and David Beckham's life.

Carol Ann Duffy described Beckham as "a mythical figure himself, in popular culture." She said she was moved by the image of David Beckham in tears after his injury.

Duffy, a football (soccer) fan herself, called it a moving moment because no money or private planes can fix it.

Achilles

Myth’s river – where his mother
dipped him, fished him, a
slippery golden boy flowed on,
his name on its lips.

Without him, it was prophesied,
they would not take Troy.

Women hid him, concealed him
in girls’ sarongs; days of
sweetmeats, spices, silver songs …

But when Odysseus came, with an
athlete’s build, a sword and a shield,
he followed him to the battlefield,
the crowd’s roar,

And it was sport, not war,
his charmed foot on the ball …

But then his heel, his heel, his heel …