Serendipity
“Have a good game”, they say when they greet you
Just what they mean is that “we’re out to beat you”.
So how do you go about winning a game?
Or not be the one that gets all the blame
Of vital importance is reading the mat
A useful excuse, if it comes down to that
Use all your experience, bowl like a pro
Do what skip tells you, skip ought to know
Strategy’s important, tactics evidently
Do what you’re told and bowl “wide and gently”
Your instinct will guide you, your hands do the rest
Note, criticism often comes hidden in jest
Release the wood your way, best you can cobble
If it’s not smooth, it’s “Designer Wobble”
A thing to be prepared for well in advance
Any game’s result may be just down to chance
One thing that happens, an occasional trick
An erstwhile bad one gets outrageous wick
Some things will happen by more luck than skill
You’ll witness the glare of the “looks that could kill”
You’ll spot the ego, the great big “I AM”
Always the first to throw toys out the pram
Remember a bowl that looks like a shocker
Can often turn out to be a great blocker
Experience, knowledge, reading the head
Is easily spoiled by a fluke shot instead
“Well played” everyone says at the end of the game
Win or come second the phrase is the same
You may believe that you’ve been bold and plucky
Losers will grieve that you damn well got lucky
Well maybe, just maybe it has simply been
Your turn, this time, for the rub of the green