Poem for woman at No.3

I woke you with bread
extra virgin olive oil plumes
to be exact.
On the stairs you emerged
eyes still on the pillow
elegant in dressing gown
and docker boots-
for a beat I forgot
the screeching smoke alarm.
We got existential
by the fire panel
and decided today
we wouldn’t die.
I should burn
breakfast
more often.

Discuss this piece in the abctales forum


Comments

Dendrite | March 8, 2008 - 12:46

This is very cool. Seemingly subjective then makes increasing sense to tell a story with very few words. The four lines beginning 'We got existential' are great.

barely black francis | March 8, 2008 - 12:51

Thanks Dendrite. A true story that happened this very morning. I wonder if I'll ever see the woman from No.3 again...

LawOfTheOne | March 8, 2008 - 23:07

Simple and elegant. I liked it a lot. Are you into existentialism? I like Camus.

LawOfTheOne | March 8, 2008 - 23:07

Simple and elegant. I liked it a lot. Are you into existentialism? I like Camus.

capoeiragem | March 9, 2008 - 13:24

I have to agree with dendrite, this is a very cool poem, clipped and confident, unfolding backwards so that the overall image stays with you long after reading the last line. Great poem, thanks!

blackjack-davey | March 10, 2008 - 20:07

Clever, telling the story backwards like an upside down pyramid- a moment becoming more distilled, more minute - the olive oil plumes making sense only on a reread. But a word of advice. Don't fry stuff in extra virgin unless you're a chef.