The man’s sports car roars
down the residential road
like a bear ready to attack
or a lion hungry for food
or a human with a bad back
or a volcano proving it’s alive.

Carl Burkitt 2024

My peripheral vision is wet,
the pool widens like the jaws of a shark.
Water holds me with the power to let me go
if it wanted to.
The shallow end becomes the deep end
at the speed of an unexpected phone call
delivering news of a family death.
The life guards aren’t worried
because all they see is kicking legs.

Carl Burkitt 2024

Erling Haaland is dressed as an Oompa Loompa.
He doesn’t have an orange face
because he doesn’t trust the paint will come off
but his blonde hair is safely tucked
under an erratic green wig bought online.
He’s unsure whether to smile at pirates, witches,
a giant puppy behind cardboard bars clutching
a copy of Dear Zoo. His head is facing the ground
and the crowd are ready to encourage him he’ll be OK.
He looks up, shuffles his feet like preparing to bury
a penalty in the top corner and says Good morning
to Batgirl as he walks into the classroom.

Carl Burkitt 2024

We are peacocking in the gym changing rooms
about our bad backs. You say you couldn’t bend
down to put your socks on this morning.
I say I couldn’t even get out of bed this morning.
You say you didn’t even get out of bed this morning
and this conversation is actually a dream.
I say it’s not even a real dream, it’s a dream
inside a poem and you’re not even real.
You say that explains the square, stubbled jaw
on your skull and the fact you are still alive.

Carl Burkitt 2024

Erling Haaland boinked his head
on the tyre of an obstacle course
and is telling everyone about his dog
that does not exist.
The coach says he’ll be fine
after a Friday off in his own home;
a chance to play with his own toys
and imaginary wagging tail.

Carl Burkitt 2024

The charity worker is standing
alone behind a branded lectern-looking stall.
His purple waterproof jacket is zipped
up to the neck and his lanyard is a frown
encouraging strangers to walk around him
with a wide birth pretending to look
at their phones. Erling Haaland has his arms
out at the side like an airplane. He’s making
the noise of take off, running down the path.
The charity worker softens his knees
and mimics ducking out of the way
of the aircraft. Erling Haaland flies off
the ground and into the clouds.

Carl Burkitt 2024

Erling Haaland is watching a bag of popcorn
rotating inside of a grubby microwave.
He likes the sound of the kernels popping.
POP. POP. POP.
Two minutes is one hour when you’re hungry.
POP. POP. POP.
But it could be a whole day for all he cares.
POP. POP. POP.

Carl Burkitt 2024

The 368 bus
is driving towards us outside our local ASDA.
Erling Haaland points to the front top window
with his violet-gloved finger and says, Cinema bus.
He wants to know when we’ll go again
and I don’t know. He wants to know
if there is another Paw Patrol film on.
I check the cinema’s website
and it’s not good news.
Erling Haaland does not believe in holding back
tears. I ask him if he’d like to go
and buy a packet of football cards. He says,
Maybe we’ll get another Haaland shiny.

Carl Burkitt 2024

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

Hozier is singing how it’s true
he saw her hair like the branch of a tree
and I see where he’s coming from
but if look more closely
you would see her hair is not
covered in green leaves or attached
to a thick trunk. It’s true
I saw her hair like the roots of a tree
spreading through my existence
looking to give to life,
to help someone see himself
the way she does.

Carl Burkitt 2024