Ah, poetry. I don't write it very often, but I thoroughly enjoy it when I do. Around this time last year, I wrote a series of lonking haikus about the Falcon's then- recently secured Super Bowl berth that I called "An Ode to Atlanta". It was never published, but it was my desire to share the poem(s) more widely that led to my applying to be a writer at Odyssey Online. Seeing as it is that time of year again, I thought I would write another poem chain detailing the Falcon's 2018 campaign. So here, for your reading pleasure, are the haikus, including the original.

An Ode to Atlanta

by Alison Schwab

( originally written January 2017, edited lightly)

I am a Falcon

my name is Julio Q. Jones

Atlanta is home.

We play in the Dome
We beat the Packers last week
We're Super Bowl bound.

The QB is Matt.
Has a first name as his last
Has greatly improved.

SB MVP
When we win the big game then
That's what Matt will be.

Dirty birds rise up
Party like it's '99.
We'll win this time though.

The city will roar
A parade will be thrown here
This is our year, Tom.



And now, the 2018 edition.

Hangover Cure

by Alison Schwab

Super Bowl collapse,

Courtesy of Brady's arm.

humiliation.

City-wide anguish

A 28-3 lead was

Squandered in 30 flat.

Shanahan leaves town,

jumps ship to San Francisco,

we all ask, "What's next?"

New season new hope,

But is the hangover real?

They win three, lose three.

Now it's always close.

Despite an improved defense,

the offense has stalled.

Proved the haters wrong,

still made it to playoffs, but,

incomplete to Jones.

Until next year, then,

Jones, Ryan, Bryant, Freeman,

we are proud of you.