Zidane’s Second Coming

France needs a rebirth
In this year. Zizou, your
nation turns its lonely
eyes toward you.

Zidane make le
balle flutter
Like a butterfly
Floating on your golden cheats.
Brush off the scrapes and bruises of time
Shave away and boldly show your glow
One last time give hope.

Eight years past
The black and white round ball
Joined a divided nation together
African descendents of Senegal and Zaire
Paired with the pride of Paris
Celebrating history in the homeland
Raising the Cup hand in hand
On a cabaret of multi-colored legs
Fit for the Moulin Rouge
Dancing the Champs-Elysees
A model for the world to embrace.

But nearly a decade
No longer riots of joy
But the stewing indignation
of mostly Muslim youth
facing discrimination and
without job. Letting hate tear
from the fragile fabric of
société civile.
9000 cars ablaze,
Nearly 3000 arrests:
Paris needs to stop burning.

The country that gave
America’s Statue of hope.
Make peace with les immigré
Bear the weight of colonialism
The fire of lungs envelope
a call to return to one country,
one identity, a team.
It is up to you Zidane.
Jihad calls, violence and war.
The Muslim world needs hope
The Non-Muslim world needs
a muslim hero to embrace.
The Algerian born in Marseilles.
He who has risen above
The housing projects of
La Castellane.
The French James Bond
The furrowed dome of sophistication
The cerebral air of collectedness
Calculatingly efficient
Never out of sorts on the field
The gentleman and good teammate.

With the poetry of your feet,
Utilize each individual’s strength
Celebrate each member’s talent.
Brace the aging warriors:
Makelele and Viera
Tutor young Ribery and Sagnol
Assuage the temperamental
brilliance of Henry who
cannot strike without your pass
Oh Captain, Les Bleus captain
Don the armband once again.

Prove the best do not lack conviction
Make it the beautiful game again.
Lead with the skill to hold the middle.
In football, the game
the whole world watches.
Show us to cheer each other,
play together,
and how to love again.