He was panicking
our key fullback
searching for something in
his locker
his equipment bag
his pockets
before the game
The muscled
always confident
get ‘er done
smash though
for the touchdown
guy was frantic
What the hell, Mike
I said
yesterday you were
gonna kick ass
what’s wrong?
Nuthin’ he said
panting and
expanding his search
I turned to Barney
who knew everything necessary
Lost his lucky penny
he said
the one his girlfriend
the hairdresser
scratched their initials into
I felt the pall settling over us
like cold wet wool
We gotta look for the penny
Barney said
it’s necessary.
We all looked high and low
in and out
right and left
in front and behind
No lucky penny
Coach said don’t be silly
but Mike couldn’t stop
being silly
that girlfriend might as well
have been a spy
for the emperor
and still she lovingly
snipped each lock of
his frazzled will.