CAFÉ WAITRESS.

You could have watched her
All day from where you were;
Could have sat and stared
And taken in the way
She walked; the way
Her hands held cups
Or moved plates,
The way her eyes lit up
When she saw you

Enter the café; the way
Her smile moved mountains
Of worry from your mind;
You could have listened
To the soft way she spoke
In broken English
With Polish overtones;
Captured the politeness
In her manner; the gesture

Of her hand as she waved
Goodbye when you left,
But you wonder what she thought,
As you walked away,
Taking her image with you
In your mind, as if it were
Some work of art
And you just some mortal
Sadly, blind.

Comments: 12

Robert - just a simple man - B. Aug 2, 2009, 4:08pm EDT

I know this great poem. Perhaps better than you, literary maestro. My mom waitressed for forty years and my sister for thirty plus.

Excellent bon ami.

Terry Collett Aug 2, 2009, 4:21pm EDT

Thank you, Robert. As Milton said: They also serve who only stand and wait. Although I would delete the "only".

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Susan C. Aug 2, 2009, 4:21pm EDT

I was a waitress too for about 20+ years. Very hard work but also could be very gratifying. I hope I made as good an impresion on someone. Great stuff! Thanks for posting it.

Terry Collett Aug 2, 2009, 4:25pm EDT

Thank you, Susan. I am sure you did make a good impression on someone; maybe he's written a poem about you, too. I hope so.

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Chana M. Aug 2, 2009, 4:55pm EDT

A great example of life imitating art, or would it be art imitating life? There is beauty in this poem Terry, thanks!

Terry Collett Aug 3, 2009, 3:31am EDT

thank you, Chana.

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George Shaw Aug 2, 2009, 5:05pm EDT

We have all seen women like that, and I suspect that women have seen some men like that. "Of all the words of tongue or pen, ar the words, 'It might have been.'"

Terry Collett Aug 3, 2009, 3:31am EDT

Thank you, George.

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Lewis (taking over Gather) K. Aug 2, 2009, 6:18pm EDT

The silent date; I've experienced this at a special place or two. You captured the feeling quite nicely, Terry.

Terry Collett Aug 3, 2009, 3:32am EDT

Thank you, Lewis.

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Kushal Poddar Aug 3, 2009, 8:02am EDT

This one is brilliant. The story telling and the untold parts of it....

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977760681

shadowy

Terry Collett Aug 3, 2009, 4:07pm EDT

Thank you, Kushal.

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CAFÉ WAITRESS.

Comments: 12

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