Sunday, August 21, 2016

coffeeshop, one morning in march 2011

This one may not be much, but it captures a slice of life in our heartlands. I wrote this for NaPoWriMo 2011.

Sorry, this is pretty localised, foreign readers may not know what i am writing about. :)




photo by dsnake1




coffeeshop, one morning in march 2011



the cleaner
rubs my table
with a greasy rag.


i do not know
where to rest
my cup of tea.


he looks at me
and smiles.
i thank him.


01/04/2011
**********






"Hard work never killed anybody, but why take a chance?"

-- Edgar Bergen



Shared on Poetry Pantry #316 at Poets United.




© cheong lee san ( dsnake1 ) 2016

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20 Comments:

Blogger Mary said...

You have captured a moment of life well - two people momentarily connect! Nice.

21 August, 2016 21:29  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

thank you, Mary! :)
yes, it was two people momentarily connected, though we may be strangers to each other.

21 August, 2016 21:48  
Blogger Jae Rose said...

I think you have captured both an individual and universal moment - those little moments of connection make the world go around :)

21 August, 2016 22:09  
Blogger Sanaa Rizvi said...

Precious few are those moments when we connect with another living soul. Beautifully penned.

Lots of love,
Sanaa

21 August, 2016 23:04  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Agree with Mary... a moment..a smile...a connection

21 August, 2016 23:09  
Blogger brudberg said...

I think when we talk to it other the coffee will cease to make a difference... maybe it's searching for others that make us drink coffee...

21 August, 2016 23:38  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Jae,

thank you! it could have been happening at some other place at the same time too. maybe he was not doing a good job, but i didn't mind because it was such a thankless job, and so early in the morning too. :)


Sanaa,

thank you, you said it so accurately! :)


thotpurge,

thank you! :)


Bjorn,

it's quite a common sight here, people having a coffee/tea at the coffee shop before going off to work. maybe it's the culture. and yes, some of us do become friends meeting like this. :)

21 August, 2016 23:52  
Blogger Sherry Blue Sky said...

A moment exchanged, and well captured! Always lovely to see you, Lee San!

22 August, 2016 01:02  
Blogger Julian said...

This scene you've captured is quite universal, especially the use of a "greasy rag". I enjoyed reading your poem.

22 August, 2016 04:31  
Blogger Sumana Roy said...

a smile and a thank all that's needed to make this life sweet...

22 August, 2016 12:16  
Blogger Old Egg said...

I always think of people I meet out (or in The coffee shop) as just like me with a life being led that no one knows about but still deserving of a "Hi!" or in Australia a "Good day!"

22 August, 2016 13:52  
Blogger Rosemary Nissen-Wade said...

I like the immediacy and the mutual acknowledgment.

22 August, 2016 20:39  
Blogger Susan said...

I had to hesitate here ... which is what the narrator did, too. Too often the job done isn't to our standards, but we provide gratitude still. It is a gift we can give and may change a tired and hopeless heart.

22 August, 2016 22:41  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

Sherry,

thank you! :)


Julian,

i guess it's quite universal too. there will always be workers clearing and cleaning tables.



Sumana,

indeed! wish there are more 'smiles' and 'thank yous' in this world. :)


Robin,

i liked what you said about this! to treat each and everyone with respect. :)


Rosemary,

thank you!
i wasn't too fond of this poem originally, thought it was too simple. but now i find this simplicity is also its strength.


Susan,

thank you for your thoughtful comment.
yes, gratitude, and humility. what went through my mind was, yes, we are fellow blue collar workers. very soon, i will be splicing wires & jointing phone lines.

22 August, 2016 23:38  
Blogger Anmol (HA) said...

Oh! The sharp contrast between the two individuals is so real and painful. The smile only adds into the difference but it also makes it believable that in the end, we are but one. Distinctions only lie in the norms of society.
-HA

23 August, 2016 02:35  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

HA, it's always a joy to read such comments. :)
yes, we are different but ultimately, we are also all the same.

23 August, 2016 20:55  
Blogger Magical Mystical Teacher said...

I don't need to know what you're writing about to appreciate your brevity and truth.

24 August, 2016 01:23  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

always good to see you, MMT! :)

24 August, 2016 21:43  
Blogger Wendy Bourke said...

Very nice. I do believe our daily lives are enhanced when we leave ourselves open to those little connections,we come across, as we go about our work and routines.

27 August, 2016 08:26  
Blogger dsnake1 said...

thank you, Wendy!
i guess our lives can be enhanced so, without us even knowing it. :)

27 August, 2016 22:53  

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