Silence At The Tee – Golf Poetry

No player, caddie or onlooker should move or talk 
during a stroke. — Etiquette of Golf. 

THIS the fateful moment, 
Let all things quiet be; 
For now the golfer's ready. 
The ball is on the tee. 

Don't move while he's addressing; 
To whisper do not dare; 
And when his club he's wagging 
No sound must stir the air. 

Should aught distract attention, 
It might disturb his poise 
And cause the man to foozle. 
So do not make a noise. 

Let not a sigh escape you, 
Don't speak or laugh or sneeze; 
Let all the birds cease singing, 
And hush thou murmuring breeze! 

The crickets must stop chirping. 
And insects buzz no more; 
The broad and restless ocean 
Must quell its mighty roar. 

The deep voice of the thunder 
Shall not be heard aloud ; 
There must not be a shadow 
From fleeting summer cloud. 

In fact, I think there's danger 
Within a simple wink — 
And in so great a crisis 
Perhaps one should not think 1 

O'er earth and all creation 
Hang silence like a pall! 
And let it not be lifted 
Till the golfer hits the ball. 

Frank J. Bonnelle in Lyrics of the Links, published in 1921