Show them which goal is theirs
and which goal
they’re supposed to score in
show them the ball
and how to kick it
tie their cleats
when the laces come undone
let them stop
in the middle of the game
to chase a butterfly
or watch the moon rise
laugh when they roll on the grass
like puppies
cheer if they score
cheer if they don’t
ignore chastising parents
who still haven’t washed
the smell of victory
off their old high school uniforms
remember the kids are here to play
but that most of the time
soccer is beside the point.
Michelle Barker has recently moved from Quebec to Penticton, B.C. with her family. Her poetry has appeared in several literary magazines. She has also published short fiction and nonfiction, and received a National Magazine Award for personal journalism. Presently she is working on a young adult fantasy novel.
