On the sideline, I sip warm cocoa.
On field, giants grapple.
Sweat and curses fly.
Shoulder pads crunch.
Whistles blow.
The players lumber toward benches,
spitting mouth guards and blood.
Halftime.
My turn.
Likewise an athlete,
I heft my tuba and sprint on field.
What Rhymes with Stanza? 
Play and have fun! This is better than getting tackled in the field. I sip along with you on that warm cocoa.
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If marching band musicians get tackled, that’s a problem! But as long as they save the instruments, it’ll sort itself out.
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Sounds like it still takes cardio to keep up!
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It really does!
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Love the tuba sprint!
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Some of those instruments are quite heavy!
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I love the twist in this poem….players to players both doing their job… One sipping chocolate the other sipping bloody lips! Well done!
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Thank you!
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You are welcome.
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What a great scene. I can see and hear it. Nicely done.
Pat
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Thank you.
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Great conjuring, as jazzy said above.
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Thank you.
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You are welcome.
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Nicely done. American football is a total mystery to me, but cocoa and music I understand.
Every time I see your blog name I want to shout “Extravaganza!”. Sorry.
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Haha! I keep a list of rhyming words on my “about” page. Everry once in a while, someone comes up with a new one.
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I need to look at that!
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This is amazing! ❤️ I could really picture it!
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Thank you.
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Good point – those musicians at half-time are also athletes.
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After some of the college halftime shows shown on TV, you can see the band performers actually panting from the effort.
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Ah, football from a musician’s point of view. I love it!
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Thank you.
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Wonderful words Maggie, from a member of the most essential bandI 🙂
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Thank you. My school didn’t have a marching band, but I spent many a cold night with my French horn in the bleachers. for “Pep Band.”
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I love this… and a tuba sounds like something you need a lot of strength to play…
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and a lot of air.
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You painted the scene so well in 44 words, that I felt I was there!
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Thank you. The word limit really helps one cut to the chase.
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I played trombone, watch out for sipping that chocolate right before playing, a tuba is a fertile field 😉
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Actually I played French horn and used the cocoa to warm my fingers. But yes, those spit valves emit some nasty stuff!
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Wow, French Horn, I think that is the toughest to buzz. Takes some tight chops. 🙂
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But less air. There are always trade offs.
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That’s true. When I tried to play a Tuba it actually swallowed me, sucked me right in there. 🎶
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LOL
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