A Poet's Haven

Many a poet has written about how souls meet…
We met over coffee, a little hole in the wall
on the cusp of the lower East side…
You see I hate to stand in lines,
or hang with the grad n run latte crowd…
One day I asked about a small table for two,
a smile and a nice tip and it became my table…
I became “ Tall, Dark and Handsome “ …
You see I always place the same order,
“ a large black Columbian, with pastry “

The first time our eyes crossed it was apparent
she didn’t like standing in lines or standing
too close to anyone she didn’t know…
I had to smile as I watched all of the
hitters strike out, with just a look…

She left without any coffee,
our eyes crossed again as she walked by.
This time it was through a window
and between the worn faded decals,
bearing the name of our coffee shop…

My daily ritual had been going on for a while,
and several days had passed without her returning…
Our eyes crossed as she entered the shop,
it wasn’t a short line that morning,
and once again she struck out all of the hitters.
Leaving again without any coffee, and as she walked by
I jesttered the empty chair with my hand and a smile,
her eyes followed my hand as she walked on by.
I could not help but notice a slight sparkle
and a wisp of a smile.

Almost a week had passed as set at my table
on a Wednesday Morning engrossed in an exposed
on the latest tit for tat from DC…
As her fragrance arrived, I drew in the deepest
breath I believe I ever have…
There she stood mere feet away,
a smile I have forever implanted in my heart…
A very short eternity passed before I asked
her to join me followed by first names only…
She would arrive earlier than she had before,
as it became our daily affair, we would chatter away
amidst our laughter, as those who had been struck out
tossed daggers at me with their looks…
All the while we just smiled…
In time we shared our dreams and fantasies,
collaborated on poetry, disagreed on politics
and such as we drifted in and out of our friendship…

There was one thing that stood out, one thing
that clearly changed in me, it was my dreams…
I would wake to the sound of my name being called,
I would wake to the feeling of being touched…
In a half full bed and an empty room…

I began to sense her presences, I seemed to know
it was her behind some mischievous little prank or thing…
Mostly I could sense her smile and laughter.
I began to sense her moods, if she disappointed
or was angry with me, I would sense in the silence
of her word choices as well as their tone.
Admently she would argue that soulmates did not exist.
I learned let it go and wait for the next wave to come ashore,
there would be a group of lyrics that would not go away…
Some melody that would play over and over…

I learned to write the lyrics down or search internet for them,
some of my best work came from writing them out of my mind…
As my heart’s rhythm would remain out of balance
until I was able to release the imbalance of our souls
and once again listen to the music of her soul made…

There were times when my thoughts were not my own…
As she drew and painted with her thoughts…
Be it sitting on her balcony, while writing poetry and stories…
As with this image, would describe in detail the apartment,
the floor covering, discolored walls, old windows
even how she would be dressed…
In her passing it all stopped, save one detail that came to light..

How does one breathe in a fragrance, in a dream???

June 20, 2021

#soulmates, #dreams, #lucidity, #fragrance, #memories