In honour of last week's National Poetry Day, Obiter brings you this exclusive publication of a work by Jason Butwick.

He is an employment partner with City firm Dechert - which held a champagne breakfast last week in honour of Poet in the City, the charity that gets poets to spend a few days in schools in the east end of London.

Mr Butwick sits on the steering committee of the charity and penned this piece apparently in memory of losing 14-1 at football for Titmuss Sainer & Webb (as Dechert then was) against Allen & Overy.

Obiter is no expert, but any work of art by a lawyer that celebrates defeat - not least by another law firm - has to be progress.

The Team from Enders Pond (or lines on scoring a goal)

It wasn't much.

Just a decent touch.

From one yard out.

A geriatric gout-ridden Woman With no feet Could have ruined our opponent's clean sheet As well as me.

But In the silent second That the ball Bulged The empty net Time took time To let me reflect Upon the set faces Of my team.

The team from Enders Pond.

Together.

In unison.

And quite uncommon bond.

An oiled machine.

A Superteam.

Impregnable.

Invincible.

Doing what had to be done.

And losing, all the same, by 14 goals to one.

For more details, go to www.poetrysociety.org.uk.

See Reviews, (Gazette [2003] 16 October) page 30.