by Judith Terzi
Argentina, don't cry for Messi yet, he's razzmatazz.
Belgium's a mess, Stella Artois all flat, all teary.
Clear the slate; let's send referees for a prism fix.
Dear Landon, we know what you are saying now:
"Eat your veggies, Schatzi, you screwed up, Luv."
France, oh Vive la France fancy pants, you
gorged on chagrin. Cancel the brie, the escargot,
hold the boeuf bourguignon, chocolate soufflés.
Ich möchte some Spätzle, some Braunschweiger.
Ja, pour some Reisling, Gewürztraminer pdq.
Kiss me Karim Benzema though you didn't top
leger-de-pied Zizou. So sexy with a beard. Who
melts your heart Karim? A French model queen!
Neymar, Zúñiga has your back, your samba dream,
oneiric bossa nova Jobim. You're out for a spell––
punch of knee from hell. We felt the crunch, crack,
quick as Dutchman goalie Krul, as Juan-the-raj.
Rats, Costa Rica, tou-can not drink from the Cup, I
say. We'll visit your rain forests, your three-toed sloth.
Time to say chill, Chile. Alexis couldn't sew the snag
under your cleats. But the poet pardons: Brazil off
victorious. Pablo tips his sombrero from the grave,
waits: Will it be the Americas or the E.U? The bard
x's out a tercet about dribblers and voodoo magic
you know who is praying will work. Meanwhile, grab
zee zapper and a seat and blow that vuvuzela.
Judith Terzi holds an M.A. in French Literature. Recent poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in journals and anthologies including The Centrifugal Eye, Myrrh, Mothwing, Smoke: Erotic Poems (Tupelo), Wide Awake: The Poets of Los Angeles and Beyond (Beyond Baroque), The Raintown Review, and elsewhere. Ghazal for a Chambermaid (Finishing Line, 2013) is her third chapbook.