Streetscape

In Paris you can drink coffee outdoors

In Paris you can drink wine  

Or eat an omelet there

And the café cat will come over to greet you

While you watch the day's well-being go by  

 

Amidst this day's well-being

You can gaze up splendid boulevards

You can glance down narrow streets

 

But the streets at the next intersection

Grow crowded with noises

You know are probably

Not fireworks

Though you try to convince yourself

They are fireworks

It is not the time for fireworks

Not this time

 

So you want

To do what you can to stay

To let all of us stay  

Drinking coffee outdoors

Drinking wine

Eating omelets

Petting the cat that comes by

And writing poetry

In praise of well-being

In the midst of well-being

 

Here in Paris or wherever   

You can drink coffee outdoors  

 

Jack Anderson

New York, N.Y.

Donated to Doctors Without Borders