My Beautiful Brother

The teacher in assembly made a rallying call:
“It doesn’t matter how old, big or small,
A goalkeeper is needed for the school football team
And this year the cup is our ultimate dream.”

My hand shot up, confident of the answer,
“My brother will play and wants to be a goalkeeper.”
Many a teacher’s eyebrow was raised at my offer.
“Tell him the trial, is on the school field later.”

Lucky it was dark; an early winter’s night,
Still coach was surprised when he first caught sight
Of my beautiful brother in his brazil-gold kit.
And then cat-like agility made him the right fit.

He rescued the season and took us quite far
Keeping clean sheets’ he became the team star
And bottle juggling skills, made him a safe bet
With disbelieving looks, this legend kept our net.

We got all the way through, into the cup final,
With my brother’s goal keeping proving quite vital.
All the children, at our school, got quite excited
For now we were facing: The Mighty United.

Our team lined up with my brother on the end.
It looked like a game where we’d have to defend.
Straight from the start, United were on the attack
Causing save after save from us at the back.

Till United were befuddled by my brother’s long throw.
His accurate aim put our striker through on goal.
The ball flew true into the back of the net.
We were one nil up with only five minutes left.

Then the worst: Ronaldo came through on goal.
If he scored now I feared what was to follow.
And out came my brother; a wailing one tooth
With a pink puffy face not yet in his youth

In pampers at the weekend but ready for the test,
He slid in for the tackle and came out the best.
My immense baby brother simply took the ball
My two year old wonder toddling six feet tall

As the whistle went and we’d won the game,
The crowd started to chant my brother’s name.
Putting in his dummy, he had nothing to say
So took my mother’s hand and she led him away.