Erling Haaland is on the sofa thinking
about overhead kicks and penalty shoot outs
waiting for his fridge-stored Chocolate Buttons
to reach room temperature. His teeth
don’t like the cold and his feet are twitching.
Patience is a word he can’t spell
but his bones have learned
to be it. He sips his cup of milk and touches
a fingertip on the chocolate. Warm. Perfect.
Erling Haaland eats a Chocolate Button
and laughs at a defender falling over
on the television.

Carl Burkitt 2024