Carol Ann Duffy, the UK’s former Poet Laureate, has just published a poem honouring the Lionesses and some of the early pioneers of women’s football in England. The poem references Mary Philip, who was the first black woman to captain an England international team, and Pat Dunn, who was one of the first women to qualify to be a referee.
We See You – by Carol Ann Duffy
That rain-heavy, leather ball your left foot smashed a century ago
has reached us here, and so we see you, Lily Parr,
in hindsight’s extra time; linked to our female, family chain
of passing forwards … to Mary Phillip, first black Captain
of the Pride, Katie Chapman, Carly Telford, Millie Bright.
We see you too, Pat Dunn – you blew your whistle
and the game kicked off for women referees. Red card for misogyny,
Free kick for progress. We’re all onside. Team-sheets are the dreams
of managers – shout out the golden days of Emma Hayes – which make us visible
to thirty, forty, fifty thousand fans … so good, so good, so good …
from grassroots team to League to Euros to the World. Now.
Women’s voices – Eni Aluko, Karen Carney – tell the poetry of play
We’ll find you – 10 years old, girl with ball, incredible to be you.
So here’s our Team Talk: We’re right behind you. And we see you.
theguardian.com/books/2023/nov…lers-lionesses-we-see-you
We See You – by Carol Ann Duffy
That rain-heavy, leather ball your left foot smashed a century ago
has reached us here, and so we see you, Lily Parr,
in hindsight’s extra time; linked to our female, family chain
of passing forwards … to Mary Phillip, first black Captain
of the Pride, Katie Chapman, Carly Telford, Millie Bright.
We see you too, Pat Dunn – you blew your whistle
and the game kicked off for women referees. Red card for misogyny,
Free kick for progress. We’re all onside. Team-sheets are the dreams
of managers – shout out the golden days of Emma Hayes – which make us visible
to thirty, forty, fifty thousand fans … so good, so good, so good …
from grassroots team to League to Euros to the World. Now.
Women’s voices – Eni Aluko, Karen Carney – tell the poetry of play
We’ll find you – 10 years old, girl with ball, incredible to be you.
So here’s our Team Talk: We’re right behind you. And we see you.
theguardian.com/books/2023/nov…lers-lionesses-we-see-you