I have been inspired by the prompt from Our Write Side, and their Friday Flasher - A Small Cafe. If you are interested in writing, do have a look. I had quite a lot of fun.
There should be
storms, not the calm, still sky.
There should be
storms, and dark castle walls.
This faded coffee
shop, half empty, in the shade,
Is not the place
to watch your life crash down.
I wait for you,
and you are late again.
In the corner,
reading a cheap magazine,
A woman droops and,
trying not to yawn,
Turns the page to
new adulteries.
I check my phone,
there’s nothing new from you,
Just half an hour
wait and waiting still.
I wonder if you
know what waits here, crouching,
In this faded,
shaded, tired coffee shop
Two girls behind
the counter, talking low
Of boys and school
and last week’s hair.
They bend the
paper clip from next week’s hours
To try and free
the block in the machine
They sound so
young and earnest, taking care
Warning each other
about the burning pipes
Promising to be
there at the club
And one will lend the
other their new dress
The woman yawns
again and leaves the place
Out into the
bright and shining mall
Past the old rabbi
playing careful chess
Facetiming with
his friend in Tel Aviv
The two old men
talk with kindness, they are kind
And measure the
words they use across the miles
What words can I
use to you so close
When I stare
across the table at your face.
The old rabbi taps
his hearing aid and shouts
A gentle, kind
goodbye across the miles.
Packs up his chess
and leaves into the mall.
I am reading the
left magazine
The coffee shop is
shutting with the mall,
The sun is draining
down the peaceful sky
There should be
storms. I text you, ‘It is over
Do not contact me
again. Goodbye.’