April is poetry month and I (along with lots of other writers) have decided to write one poem a day for the entire month. So far my poems are mostly terrible and I assume they will continue to be terrible as the month goes on. However, I wrote this poem the other day when I was sitting in a cafe and thought it wasn’t the worst, so I’m sharing it now. I hope it makes you feel something.
In a pastry shop
a man with a beard and a walking stick
s l o w l y
sat down next to me
his beard was grey
it was raining outside
and everything rearranged itself
s l o w l y
as the lunch crowd came in.
The man ordered coffee
and a cinnamon roll.
He placed gently
the cinnamon roll
in front of the empty seat
across from him
once twice
a dozen times
he glanced towards the door
expectantly
waiting
once twice
a dozen times
he picked up his phone
anxiously
waiting
eventually slowly
he took a sip of the coffee
eventually slowly
he stopped looking towards the door
and I felt my heart
pound
once twice
a dozen times
I have waited for something
that doesn’t come
eventually slowly
I stop waiting
eventually slowly
the man reached across the table
picked up the cinnamon roll
and took a bite
once twice
a dozen times
I have given up too soon
and eventually
s l o w l y
being alone
is all we know
