Erling Haaland can peel oranges now.
He uses focused fingers to pick the skin
off in chunks the size of a 5 pence coin.
He’s in the back seat of the car.
His eyes are the eyes of a lion
with the power to provide for himself.
He shows me his teeth in the rearview mirror
and roars at the sight of stringy white pith
hanging from one of his claws.

Carl Burkitt 2024