Open Circle Poem: In a Café
of Senses, Santa Fe
A woman smelling of my
deceased
godmother’s street-level
apartment
walks past me, her scent the
one
I needed this moment
stretched
between snippets of people
talking
about issues I want to hear
of and those
I don’t and which scone or
croissant
I might want waiting in the
glass cases.
Sinatra crooning from the
speakers
above me, a taste of old
world
marinara (Aunt Phile called
it gravy)
mingling with effusions from
mothballs
buried in her coat closet
hovers
tantalizingly close, the line
of coffee
lovers, each swiping
smartphones,
snaking out the propped-open
door
pushing my beliefs towards
touching
how safe distance has become.
Michael G. Smith's poems have been published in many literary
journals. This poem is from the series Open Circle Poems. No Small
Things was published by Tres
Chicas Books in 2014. The Dippers Do Their Part, a
collaboration with visual artist Laura Young of haibun and katagami from their
Shotpouch Cabin residency, was published by Miriam’s
Well in 2015.
Nice piece Michael!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Peggy.
DeleteLovely work, Michael! I thought of you today...today was the day the first daffodil bloomed here, and I now have a permanent association between that yearly event and your poetry! Hope you're keeping well. warmest regards, Laura
ReplyDeleteThank you, Laura. Yeah, I know, I need to get back to our poems...Oh, thanks for the Facebopok tags!
DeleteNicely done! You evoked similar memories through smell for me, too. I am putting together a list of poets for a postcard poetry exchange for the month of April. Would love to have you, and any of your poetically minded friends, consider and join. See my blog for the information: http://www.lenorarainleegood.com/#!April-is-National-Poetry-Month/c1q8z/56c64ae40cf2de8a478fd71e
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lenora. And thank-you for the invite to the April exchange. I'll be traveling a good chunk of the month and so, unfortunately, can't participate. I do hope everyone has a good time.
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