Penalty Prayers

Penalty prayers—hold your breath.
Just one kick left.

Nana Adjoa holds her beads,
Amina whispers, "Let him breathe."
Mrs. Cohen grips her tea,
Grandma Chen won't watch TV.
Four small rooms, the same long wait,
One young striker at the spot.
His mother folds his childhood shirt;
She hopes he knows his worth.

Different words in different rooms,
All our hopes in muddy shoes.

Penalty prayers, hands in the air,
Someone we love is standing out there.
Win or lose, when the lights go down,
Bring our children home safe and sound.

The keeper's mum can't watch at all;
She vacuums halfway down the hall.
The striker runs. The picture stalls.
Four small rooms: "Come on! Come on!"
The ball goes wide. His mother stands,
Still holding that shirt in both her hands.
Across the world, the keeper's mum
Stops the vacuum. Hears they've won.

Different words in different rooms,
All our hopes in muddy shoes.

Penalty prayers, hands in the air,
Someone we love is standing out there.
Win or lose, when the lights go down,
Bring our children home safe and sound.

I prayed for mine to make the save,
Forgot the boy who walked away.
His mother holds him through the screen.
I find another prayer in me.

Penalty prayers, hands in the air,

Someone we love is standing out there.
Win or lose, when the lights go down,
Bring our children home safe and sound.

Four small rooms: "Come on! Come on!"

Bring our children home safe and sound.

Bring our children home safe and sound.

The grandmothers take credit.
The mothers make the calls.