Saturday, March 17, 2012

Ode to Bob



Bob, he  broke his innominate
That’s the bone that they couldn’t name
All were worried at Tour de Lygon
We feared that our Bob would be lame.

His coxal was smashed – that’s the hip bone
In particular, acetabulum
The leg bone had nowhere to hang on
To ride would be cyclero ad hellum

The innominate’s the  illium, ishium and dare I say pubis
It’s what holds the leg in its place.
You break it and you’re in big trouble
And never again will you race.

Says Bob “It’s certainly serious,
I’ll have to change my regime”
But Bob’s the master of subtlety
And all wasn’t quite what it seemed.

Top surgeons they pieced him together
And then they all wished him the best
“The best” may involve a wheelchair
Walking stick and a good rest.

Maybe a blanket, a fire, hot cocoa,
Pain killers, year after year.
“Your bike riding days are behind you”
But Bobster had different ideas.

Bob wasn’t keen on retirement
E’en with a broke pelvic girdle
He knew all the stuff in medical terms
But he wasn’t fazed by such hurdles.

See Bob isn’t easily defeated
See Bob he had different ideas
Soon Bob is out there and riding
Although not always riding with gears

Last October we all rode ‘round Bay in a Day
How we trained for this draining event
Said Bob "thought I’d pop down to Sorrento & back
On my fixie to see how I went" !

3 Peaks is a Challenge for wide-eyed fanatics
For cycling supremos and such
Not gentlemanly chaps on the road to recovery
From muscle and bones turned to mush

But out of the mist rode TDL’s Bobster
His muscle and bones well intact
Did he ride? Did he ride? He rode and he nailed it
And my friends that’s not myth, that’s the fact.

Yes I know this poem is corny
And sure, it’s too long and et al
But Bobster, I say, he is worth it
Inspiration - he is to us all.

Poem: from Howard, our Poet-in-Residence
Sentiments: from all of us

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