CURLING

A sport of much mystery
Curling has been to me.
From friends I've had a lecture.
No longer mere conjecture,
My knowledge still is wee.

Each player two stones sends.
A game has ten ends.
The stone slides while spinning.
An end is like an inning.
The skip directs his team of friends.

It's played by teams of four.
Closeness determines the score.
The reason for all that sweeping
Is the stone's true course keeping.
Some day I'll learn some more.

A stone's path is often curved.
Unswept particles can make it swerve.
An opponent stone it may come round behind
Or knock it, if you are so inclined.
A skilled player I'd like to observe.

If I may be verboser,
How many stones did your team put closer
Than your opponents' closest stone?
Once this number is known,
For the end, that is your score, sir.


(Canadian friends Ada and Morley told us some things about curling.)