The Penalty Kicker’s Gospel
Look at my eyes,
see me–
a normal lion,
a regular raptor,
a calm black hole,
a complacent tsunami,
and decide my next move,
and then accept you’re
a step late,
a payment overdue,
a trend too far ahead,
a water bottle crushed.
For your next move,
remember my number as the one above yours,
remember the dirt beneath my cleats but not my face,
remember how the sun danced on my victory teeth,
remember the drive home I sent you on,
and use this as fuel
to get a centimeter closer
to not become food.
Durrell Carter is a writer based in Oklahoma City. He holds a M.A. in Literature from the University of Central Oklahoma. His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and the Best New Poets Anthology. He is author of the chapbook, Mr. Monday Morning’s Broken Songs and Testimonies and the poetry collection Views From the Red Light Aquarium.
