ON A DAY IN EARLY SPRING

Imaginary Garden With Real Toads

d'Verse Poets Pub

And you find yourself

strolling through the market

on a day in early spring

encountering a woman

who smiles at you

not in a polite way

but in a way that shows

she'd be interested

if you weren't both there

with your carts

passing for the briefest of moments

in the opposite direction

and before you can even think

of what to say

she's turned the corner

Leaving you longing for some other time

and some other place

where two people were properly introduced

by a maiden aunt

in the courtyard of a church

on a day in early spring

extending her white-gloved hand

and holding your gaze

for the briefest of moments

as she demurs

each making a mental note

to get religion again next week

And you find yourself strolling

through an open-air market

on a day in early spring

your demure lady

tending to your child at home

A woman passes by

giving you THAT smile

holding your gaze

for the briefest of moments...

You pivot

eyes following her

as she stops

picks up an apple

and holds it to the light

then slowly turns

in your direction...