At Dimitri's Restaurant

A poem by Madhuri.

It comes to me
that what I really want from people
is this:
someone to sit down here and ask me,
“Please tell me something beautiful
for fifteen minutes.”

And I would say,
“See how the grape-branches run above our heads
like wild-animal trails in the forest?
See the way the sun comes
through some of the big, shapely leaves
while most stay shady –
See the clean blue of sky
here, there, in irregular geometries
among the leaves?”
I would say,
“Oh, there, the new bunches
hanging green –
but holding time within them
for the sweet long grapes to be?”
I would say,
“When a truck passes on the road
feel how our bodies
contract
in their delicate wisdom?”
I would say,
“See your eyelashes curling, long and dark
and your great
archy eyes, your
liquid, frank and brightsome eyes.”
I would say more –
improvising, in my happiness,
theme by theme –