infravermelho

I went to Arthur Avenue
The market place
a comfortable retreat
from the city's colder places
I can hear broken Italian
mixed with broken English
My grandfather buys green olives
and it makes me feel at home

CAFE 'AL MERCATO'S
has real chicken parm
I sat down with my grandfather
and we talked about life

I don't know how long I will have with him
82 years old and still as strong as a bull
The wisest man I've ever known
Will the world be as full of life after he is gone?

I miss him, I barely get to see him anymore
But sitting here at a table
in the marketplace is charming
and it makes me feel at home

He's worried about me
And there's no reason not to be
Everyday I get to see myself
inside a different stranger

Then we traveled
two blocks the way
to EGIDIO'S for coffee gelato
that tastes of real Italian espresso

I looked at my napkin
and saw the water that had
traveled down and pooled
from the plastic cup
I was being nourished from
and it made sense
when so little in this world
made sense anymore

When we were done
we got back into the car
and drove away