Over a cup of coffee
Ideas can brew,
Issues can be tackled,
Solutions can be created through
Over a cup of coffee
Romantic candles can be lit,
Sweet words can be said,
Feelings can be expressed
a cup of coffee or sitting on a park bench or
walking the dog,
he would recall some incident
from his youth—
nothing significant—
climbing a tree
in his backyard,
waiting in left field for a batter's swing,
sitting in a parked car with a girl whose face
he no longer remembered,
his hand on her waist
and his body electric;
memories to look at with curiosity,
the harmless behavior of a stranger, with
nothing to regret or elicit particular joy.
And although he had no sense of being on a journey,
such memories made him realize how far he had traveled,
which, in turn,
made him ask how ,
he would look back on the person he was now,
this person who seemed so substantial.
These images, it was like looking at a book of old photographs,
recognizing a forehead,
the narrow chin,
and perhaps recalling the story of an older second
cousin, how he had left long ago to try his luck in
Argentina or Australia.
And he saw that he was
becoming like such a person,
that the day might
arrive when he would look back on his present self
as on a distant relative who had drifted off into
uncharted lands.
Yes all that in one small cup of coffee,
A cup of coffee lasts a couple of minuets, maybe a hour
But a memory,
Lasts forever.
~BY STEPHEN DOBYNS
walking the dog,
he would recall some incident
from his youth—
nothing significant—
climbing a tree
in his backyard,
waiting in left field for a batter's swing,
sitting in a parked car with a girl whose face
he no longer remembered,
his hand on her waist
and his body electric;
memories to look at with curiosity,
the harmless behavior of a stranger, with
nothing to regret or elicit particular joy.
And although he had no sense of being on a journey,
such memories made him realize how far he had traveled,
which, in turn,
made him ask how ,
he would look back on the person he was now,
this person who seemed so substantial.
These images, it was like looking at a book of old photographs,
recognizing a forehead,
the narrow chin,
and perhaps recalling the story of an older second
cousin, how he had left long ago to try his luck in
Argentina or Australia.
And he saw that he was
becoming like such a person,
that the day might
arrive when he would look back on his present self
as on a distant relative who had drifted off into
uncharted lands.
Yes all that in one small cup of coffee,
A cup of coffee lasts a couple of minuets, maybe a hour
But a memory,
Over a cup of coffee
Days can be so warm,
Anything can be so light,
Lovers can hold each other's hands tight
Over a cup of coffee
Enemies can become friends,
Cold War can end,
Hurts and heartaches can mend
~BY STEPHEN DOBYNS



















