RAVEN MACK is a mystic poet-philosopher-artist of the Greater Appalachian unorthodox tradition. He does have an amazing PATREON, but also *normal* ARTIST WEBSITE too.
my Colombian
friend's oddly somber and calm,
against her nature
"I cannot get excited"
she explains, in yellow kit
no love for English,
despite my American
whiteness assignment
rather be American
in twin continental sense
whenever either
team flirts with box entry, the
other defends well
early stages are just two
teams internally probing
sports euphemisms
are either sexual or
based upon battle
I am a romantic at heart,
thus also an erotic
Harry Kane looks an
insufferable asshole,
falling for free kicks
the English match plan appears
to be fall down and free kick
this theme remains in
place second half, penalty
for a barely foul
Kane converts, rewarded for
false football philosophy
where is Falcao's long
hair? Samson mentalities
please true football gods
we live in horribly corrupt
age, with all culture compromised
strong metaphysic
blow from the football gods off
Yerry Mina's head
extra time, extra drama -
drained cramping legs suffer more
the football gods so
cruel - giving hope then snuffing
out just as quickly
colonial knockouts - world
cup's mostly European
somewhat indiff'rent
towards Sweden, though I do love
underdogs, always
maternal grandmother was
Swedish/Norwegian/some shit
fell in love with Swiss
team during their Serbian
group stage encounter
existence diaspora
convened in mountain nation
Sweden comes out gate
with early probing of goal,
Yann Sommer stands tall
whole first half is ebb and flow
without climactic finish
this continues through
second half - nothing of note,
nothing horrible
perhaps I'm suffering from
football burnout; I am bored
finally Forsberg
forces constant Swedish probes
to result in goal
Yann Sommer would've had it,
but defender deflection
Sweden seems good bit
more bout it bout it than Swiss,
staying on attack
not sure what Swiss plan is here,
seem to be stuck on defense
into final ten
minutes of regular time, the
Swiss appear frantic
still remarkably at ease
considering circumstance
Rodriguez header
in extra time almost draws
level - Olsen save
last second red card foul just
outside box does the Swiss in
was it lackluster
performance by them? or did
the Swedes dominate?
doesn't matter - just look at
the scoreboard motherfucker
top half of bracket
absolutely stacked, but Belgium's
still a contender
no one's looked as good when they're
firing on all cylinders
Japan lawyer balled
their way into knockout stage,
and ain't samurais
nonetheless, any team left
has chance to tip apple cart
no reason Belgium
shouldn’t dominate this
match most entirely
they ought to King Leopold
Japan as if the Congo
they’re definitely
probing early, controlling
(euphemist)attack
[perhaps Japanese tanka
practice manifests shock]
other than clearance,
fancy FIFA ball rarely
makes the far left end
suddenly Japan attacks,
which should help counter-attack
except second half
begins with Yamaguchi's
shock goal breaking draw
except no shock - Inui
follows up with a second
maybe I was too
quick to dimiss them as not
modern samurai
they are outrunning Belgium;
Vertonghen arcs high head goal
afro Fellaini
cleans up to equalize -
we've got brand new match
last minute of stoppage time,
Japan takes a weak corner
Courtois feeds bumrush,
Lukaku plays big dummy,
drawing defenders
cross goes clean to Chadli's foot,
who drives it home - Belgium wins
Brazil's history
as best non-European
team looks to stay true
but there's no loving Neymar
and his quick-to-fall spirit
Mexico has the
full support of all dirtgods
and dirtgoddesses
American construction
sites and kitchens sneak phone peeks
early control of
match in Brazil's favor; they
simply play faster
Mexico expended so
much energy in group stage
Neymar's theatrics
so fucking tiring, but ref
today rewards it
Chicharito seems slowed down,
Mexico playing on heels
Layun in for old
ass Rafa Marquez at half;
it doesn't matter
Willian speed burst feeds sweet
cross to Neymar's stabbing feet
El Tri's energy
needs amphetamine spike, down
one feels like twenty
playing from behind, El Tri
begins attacking harder
an impotency
to the Mexican attack;
Layun stomps Neymar
give me non-homophobic
perjorative for Neymar
despite how great he
might be, he ruins football;
VAMOS MEXICO!
Chucky Lozano migth be
our last spirit warrior hope
Neymar breakaway
Brazilian bum rush feeds it
to Firmino - goooolllllll
the better team put away
a lesser team that was spent
Croatia has chance
to make shocking run, behind
Modric and them boys
Balkan/Slavic football has
immense World Cup history
my general lack
of support for Europe means
Denmark's off radar
second-tier teams not former
Yugoslav states miss my gaze
the Danes drizzle in
second-minute goal, before
we're even settled
Mandzukic answers quickly;
are we off to the races?
digital era
so at halftime, disappeared
for three-hour wander
walking through my small city's
not-yet-rebuilt underside
"I can always watch
the replay online when I
get back home," I thought
coconut water from the
immigrant mall tienda
graffiti under
bridges, kudzu and bamboo -
also immigrants
a handless Undertaker
figure for free beside street
someone driving by
yells "RAVEN MACK!"; down with all,
so I holler back
got home disinterested
in staring at internet
real life's powerful,
a better place to get lost
than screen rabbit holes
now naked and stankin' from
thick southern humidity
looks like Croatia
advanced on another one
gone to penalties
good weekend fix by FIFA
to lure in Americans
Spanish side survived
coaching instability
with weaker group draw
on paper (or website) should
be far better than Russia
Russian team playing
with house money, advancing
past expectations
Russia has chance for upset -
back room ruble influence
set piece tragedy -
falling Russian elder gets
own goaled from behind
Ramos always in middle
of questionable bullshit
Pique handball on
corner kick allows Dyuba
to tie it back up
national stadium home
crowd going fuckin' bonkers
start of second half,
Russian crowd roaring with each
possession's advance
Spanish side grinding to halt,
seeming to lack a spark plug
Russia makes their third
substitution with thirty
minutes still to play
that's minimum - extra time
now allows for a fourth change
sub Iniesta
almost scores late minute punch,
but a stretching save
extra time situation,
in cramping humidity
Russian legs appear
exhausted, but fighting for
penalty shoot-out
Russian defense - as real life -
stubborn, stifling, resistant
in a pouring rain,
we have penalty finish -
testing keepers' wills
amazing fifth penalty
kick save - Russia slays Spain!
Uruguay oddly
seemed uninspired in group stage,
yet undefeated
quietly dominant, led
by aging bastard Suarez
despite Ronaldo's
presence, Portugal's World Cup
history lacking
only twice beyond this round,
only once with Ronaldo
very early on,
Cavani to Suarez back
to Cavani - GOOOLLLLLLL
all the way across pitch, back
and forth, beautiful combo
Uruguay defense
nearing six hundred minutes
since allowing goal
Suarez almost snuck second
underneath haphazard wall
then that same stifling
defense falls asleep on short
corner, second half
Pepe's ugly ass heads home
the sudden equalizer
Ronaldo pushing
with an urgent energy
not seen with Messi
but Suarez to Cavani
strikes again, beautifully
Muslera fumbles
and Portugal nearly ties,
but no - shanked skywards
Cavani limping, helped off
pitch leaning on Ronaldo
Portuguese coach looks
like '70s cop show boss,
so damn frustrated
I give Ronaldo credit -
he's playing hard, not flopping
but nothing connects -
late minute attrition, with
four minutes added
dramatic corner kick wild
sequence... Ronaldo's finished
our first knockout match
between pair of powers yet
to hit their full stride
two teams with good odds to win
it all - only one moves on
France feels like race car
yet to be opened up full
throttle thus far in Cup
Pogba's inspiration - as
usual - a talking point
Messi lined up as
false 9, meaning Sampaoli
set up to take fall
Argentina's not looked good -
here, or in qualifying
Iranian ref
likely to "let them play" - a
theme in this World Cup
Messi writhing from to tap,
ref side eyes him with disgust
Mbappe tackled
in box, Griezmann easily
converts penalty
France far faster - Argentine
defense tackling from behind
France dominates but
suddenly Di Maria
nails equalizer
first knockout tied up at half,
disheveled quick after break
foul free kick from side,
Messi fires ricochet blast,
redirected in
just like that, Argentina's
a goal up - yet not for long
Pavard with missile
strike to tie back up at
around one-hour mark
Mbappe (only nineteen)
blasts in a third, then fourth
finally we see
full force France, and Messi is
eliminated
Maradona remains the
soul solo star to be king
bailed out on group stage
early because Belgium and
England meant nothing
Harry Kane didn't even
play, screwing up my dork shit
predicting ev'ry
game with a bunch of British
bastards I don't know
gamify your entire life -
give meaninglessness meaning
I guess Panama
versus Tunisia barely
interested me
but also I've fucked off at
work so hard the past two weeks
as American,
work before sport, and soccer's
not even real sport
you're allowed March Madness, and
of course Super Bowl worship
both those events are
more commercial than substance,
BUY YOURSELF FREEDOM
Thursday afternoon crisis
of existence for Raven
bailed so hard took two
days to catch up on tanka,
KNOCKOUT STAGE IS SET
elohel, it's already
started in dirtgod real life
but I began this
idiotic project with
promise to finish
so even if I mail it
in, shit's gonna get finished
it's actually
Saturday night; went to the
drag races today
I watched stupid Messi
and Ronaldo get beaten
but I also watched
giant American cars
roar with jacked-up strength
there's no drag racing World Cup...
oh wait, back to the soccer
Panama's best chance
at winning first World Cup game
came up one goal short
Tunisia gave Africa
little consolation though
Africa shut out
from knockout stages, meanwhile
Europe's ev'rywhere
England and Belgium hardly
tried at the end of their game
with live crowd booing,
they essentially played a
game of kick-around
ev'ry game meaningful from
this point forward - no down time
Raven Mack tanka
will remain stream of conscious,
however, fuck rules
the collected tanka is
already fifty pages
fifty pages of
World Cup tanka that like
six people have read
classic Raven Mack - perform
ridiculous obscure tasks
illegitimate
arts forever - no regard
for what makes best sense
when it comes to poetry,
I'm America's dumbest
my Colombian
friend was wearing brand new
blue kit this morning
she's so sweet and excited,
but at work - both of us are
I couldn't tell her
my love of Senegal's team,
or she'd yank my beard
couldn't say how much Mane's
post-goal prayers inspire me
I can't even say things -
my bad Spanish far worse than
her broken English
but we look forward to each
other ev'ryday, flirting friends
she asks me if there's
a nueva novia,
tugging at her ring
she was first to notice my
finger first being ringless
American born
but don't really possess that
same psycho logic
how did I end up at this
desk down-low streaming World Cup?
living in city
which had newsworthy conflicts
in the streets last year
our football is concussions,
beer, flags, and military
the nationalism
of World Cup, perhaps lacking
war's prejudices
except Russia, "whiteness", and
Trump/Clinton dystopia
from this group, pair of
non-European teams will
qualify further
the only African and
Asian teams possibly left
football mimicking
Earth's colonial stories,
"Western culture" wins
in America, we don't
care, with militant anger
sitting at my desk,
pretending I'm productive,
like all other days
the facade of achieving
self-worth through mundane time waste
the myth that the good
life is easily attained,
just put in the work
while an oligarchic Earth
sits in luxury boxes
my Colombian
friend passionately streams
the match while working
serving coffee to gringos;
my desktop full of spreadsheets
it all still adds up
to nothing, listening to
dull Fox announcers
passionless exercise through
the only today ever
matches themselves were
wild finish, with anyone's
goal changing finish
Japan and Senegal down
to yellow card tiebreaker
Fair Play points - as if
meritocracy was real;
but it never was
Africa's final entrant,
eliminated by cards
Switzerland seems to
have best path to advancement
with Costa Rica
Central American squads
look to not truly belong
Brazil always a
favorite, but flirting with
German-like crash out
Serbia has been solid
squad thus far, sharp on both ends
punishing Balkan
defense versus a man who
falls when wind blows hard
will Neymar sell the angle well
enough for penalty win?
put simply, Brazil
and Switzerland advance
if all stays level
Serbia needs to win, and
Costa Rica plays spoiler
far less glory to
upsetting Switzerland than
beating Germany
still though, prospect of Brazil
and Germany both gone's there
fuck it, let's make it
happen; the Swiss score first, but
then Brazil does too
top half of table looks to
remain top half of table
I'm tuned out mostly
to be honest - exhausted
from this morning's games
with Switzerland and Brazil
both winning, meh whatever
but Costa Rica
draws level, and seems to be
showing some spirit
another small nation swan
song out of World Cup group stage
seems that Serbia
should be playing with bit more
passion than they are
there's a shocking lackluster
level of inspiration
they need two, and with
thirty minutes left, anxious
attacks start coming
William and company
make dangerous quick counters
and in fact, just as
Serbia started showing
life, Brazil spikes them
curling Neymar service
off Thiago Silva's head
no real drama left,
as Switzerland can ease off,
advancing forward
gonna be a Swedish/Swiss
round of 16 knockout match
Mexico's reward
for backing forwards shall be
now woke Brazilians
so few non-European
teams moving foward, that's sad
I'd gotten excited
about possibility
of Brazil ousting
I strongly dislike Neymar,
even more so than Messi
neither's inspiring -
a pair of self-important
talented assholes
football without spirit, turn
it on at the end... big yawns
