“Pour Une Personne?” (Original)

Pour une personne?

“Oui, merci” he led on

“Ici, monsieur.” last table

I accept my fate

~

I accept my fate

Grudgingly, placed here so

Close to Anglophones

~

Close to Anglophones

Whose conversation disturbs

I order in French

~

I order in French

Mumbling words; incoherence

Distraction de gauche

~

Distraction de gauche

My concentration weakened

Eat, drink & make notes

~

Eat, drink & make notes

Unable to filter sound

These are not my thoughts

~

These are not my thoughts

That convert to ink on page

Introduce themselves

~

Introduce themselves

Of course, it’s only polite

When one sits so near

~

When one sits so near

To taste your saliva, hear

Un-spoken whispers

~

Un-spoken whispers

Moonbeams illuminate curves

“Keep your eyes open”

~

“Keep your eyes open”

Dialogue ceases; ears wake

Touch, smell, taste alive

~

Touch, smell, taste alive

Capture this moment in time

Une personne ou deux?

~

Une personne ou deux?

Is this important,or just

Immaterial?

~

Immaterial?

There is only ever one

“Nothing’s forever”

.

“Nothing’s forever“

Train reaches destination

Get off? Or stay on?

.

Get off? Or stay on?

On station master’s whistle

A heartbeat to choose

.

A heartbeat to choose

Door lights signaling closure

A heartbeat to choose

.

n.b. This is the poem I originally drafted in stages. I then posted a revised ending, but actually I prefer this version.

CLP 10^th / 17^th May, 2020