Saturday, February 4, 2012

She agrees to meet him

She agrees to meet him
At a grocery store
To talk about her work. 
Who could complain
There
In such a public place about
Him
Being nearly sixty and
Her
Being younger
Than his daughter turning twenty.

He arrives earlier than
Expected and is
Uncomfortable with what he
Is doing
There
Searching the store for
Her.  
It seems to
Him
This time
Walking through the aisles,
The meat is
Vividly primal,
The mounds of juicy
Vegetables, incredible,
Even the wine
Too suggestive 
For what he has in mind.

She arrives minutes later
Catching him by surprise
Wearing heels, tight jeans, and a sweater,
Lipstick as red as apples,  
Eyes flashing
Light like lemons.  Seeing
Him
She asks about his daughter
And he of
Her
Parents.  He ought to have
Picked her up
There
But it was awkward.
They would
Wonder.  Better privately
Where anyone can get
Groceries.

She wants  
To share a salad – where,
Holding his bowl,
He studies her
Hands, her smile, her hair
As she dabbles the tongs,
Talking about
College and everything
Going on
There.
Acutely aware of
Her
Perfume, her beside
Him,
His daughter’s
Text – give her my best  
Resonating through the room.

Walking behind her
Into the eating area –
Table to the side, booth in the rear.  
She turns, questioning
In her eyes.
For a moment he is young,
Freshness on his fingers,
Ripeness on  
His tongue.
He sighs, putting down his salad,
Plastic forks and knives,
Pulling out her chair into the
Afternoon sun.
Acutely aware of the
Distance between their lives,
Sharing with
Her
Something funny and innocent about  
Him
Something should anyone care,
Seeing them
There,
Wouldn’t seem as strange to them
As it does to him.


1 comment:

  1. Hi Jonanthan. I love this story/poem. You did such a great job setting up the scene and the ultimate distance between these two. I could feel his attraction, tentativeness, boldness, and awkwardness. This is my favorite line (among many): Better privately/Where anyone can get/Groceries.

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