Jungle Geordie

The last time I saw Carlitos
he was dusting spider webs
off his humbug football shirt

emerging from the forest
with a mud clagged ball under his arm
and a grin on his face

that was the last time
I saw Carlitos

until today

when I saw Carlitos staring
at me from page 6
of ‘The Guardian’
dressed in a native’s smock
with a scowl on his face

feathers in his hair

and a headline above
him that said
‘Channel 4 crew kill
isolated tribe with
common cold’