An African player dribbles

Like a village herd boy

Rounding up his father’s goats

Through the grasses full of surprises

When the sun is going down

And he must drive his goats’ home.

He knows all the lowland paths

That trellis the vlei in plan

And the high-land highways

Curving through gap and pass

Past the shanks of swaying trees

To the green pastures in the penalty box

There to startle long balls that dash like squirrels.

Tribute to

Samuel Etoo

Peter Ndlovu

After watching an AFCON game