Football at Slack

Ted Hughes

Football at Slack by Ted Hughes captures a moment of men playing football on a hill, and their
interaction with the changing weather.

Between plunging valleys, on a bareback of hill

The vast valleys surrounding the exposed hilltop emphasize the players' openness to the elements
and potential danger.
Men in bunting colours
The colorful attire stands out against the barren landscape, highlighting the joyfulness of the game
amidst the harshness of the setting.
Bounced, and their blown ball bounced
The repeated "bounced" creates a rhythmic beat, reflecting the dynamic and unpredictable nature
of the game, which is further emphasized by the metaphor of the "blown ball," suggesting control
being surrendered to the wind.

The blown ball jumped, and the merry-coloured men

The continued repetition reinforces the ball's erratic behavior, while the personification of the
"merry-coloured men" imbues them with playfulness and a sense of shared purpose.
Spouted like water to head it
The comparison to water spouting from a fountain emphasizes the agility and fluidity of the
players' movements, showcasing their skill and determination to control the ball.
The ball blew away downwind
The sudden shift highlights the vulnerability of the game to external forces, creating a sense of
tension and uncertainty.

The rubbery men bounced after it

The players likened to "rubber" suggest their resilience and adaptability, bouncing back effortlessly
from setbacks, and the action of "bouncing after it" reinforces their pursuit of the game despite the
challenging conditions.
The ball jumped up and out and hung in the wind
The precarious position of the ball suspended over a "gulf of treetops" creates a dramatic moment
of anticipation and potential danger.
Then they all shouted together, and the blown ball blew back
The collective shout becomes a force that pushes back against the wind, metaphorically reclaiming
control and demonstrating the power of teamwork and shared will.

Winds from fiery holes in heaven

The wind is no longer playful but originates from "fiery holes in heaven," creating a sense of awe
and potential celestial wrath. This shift foreshadows the intensifying storm.
Piled the hills darkening around them
The wind's power is exaggerated, "piling" the hills and darkening the surroundings, effectively
closing in on the players and amplifying the threatening atmosphere.
 To awe them. The glare light
The sudden burst of sunlight amidst the encroaching darkness creates a dramatic contrast, leaving
the players momentarily unsure of their situation.
Mixed its mad oils and threw glooms
Sunlight is personified as having "mad oils," suggesting an unpredictable and chaotic force, further
enhancing the unsettling mood. The "glooms" thrown create a sense of unease and foreboding.
Then the rain lowered a steel press
The downpour is compared to a heavy machinery, emphasizing the oppressive force of the rain and
the feeling of being overwhelmed by nature's power.

Hair plastered, they all just trod water

The players struggle against the rain, their movements reduced to "treading water," suggesting
they are barely keeping afloat amidst the chaos.
To puddle glitter. And their shouts bobbed up
The small patches of water reflecting sunlight offer a glimmer of hope and beauty amidst the
bleakness, highlighting the resilience of human spirit to find joy even in difficult situations.
Imagery and metaphor - the faint shouts, "bobbing up" like bubbles, hint at their continued desire
to connect and maintain some semblance of control despite being subdued by the storm.
Coming fine and thin, washed and happy
The washed-out shouts, though barely audible, retain a spark of happiness, demonstrating the
players' inner strength and unwavering spirit.

While the humped world sank foundering

the landscape transforms into a struggling creature, "sinking foundering," conveying the immense
power of the storm and the feeling of the world being overwhelmed.
And the valleys blued unthinkable
the valleys become obscured by rain, their depths described as "unthinkable," emphasizing the
transformative power of the storm and the feeling of unfamiliarity with the surroundings.
Under the depth of Atlantic depression
the storm is personified as an "Atlantic depression," a vast and powerful entity, further stressing
the magnitude of the external force facing the players.
But the wingers leapt, they bicycled in air
Despite the overwhelming storm, the players refuse to surrender. Their acrobatic movements,
"leaping" and "bicycling in air," defy the forces of nature and showcase their spirit and
determination.
And the goalie flew horizontal
The goalie's heroic dive, described as "flying horizontal," further emphasizes the players'
commitment to the game and their willingness to go above and beyond in the face of adversity.

And once again a golden holocaust

The storm finally begins to recede, the sunlight re-emerging as a "golden holocaust," a fiery rebirth
of light and hope.
Lifted the cloud’s edge, to watch them
The sun is personified as an observer, its light illuminating the players and their game, suggesting a
sense of awe and respect for their resilience.