Dining Alone?

[ampoule]

I wrote the following poems at lunch the other day. I was thinking of Prince's Snapshots.

Dining Alone

How many?
Just one.
Smoking or non-smoking?
Non-smoking.
Name?
Ariel.
That will be about ten minutes.
But I would like a table in the rear, next to the window, I'll be happy to wait.

Air-ree-ell, table for one, your table is now available, follow me.
She smiles.
I smile.
I follow her.
Here we go.
Thank you.
Enjoy your meal.
Thank you.

Good afternoon, my name is Jennifer, I will be your server, may I get you something to drink?
Yes, thank you, raspberry iced-tea.
I look around with a pleasant smile on my face.
No one returns the favor, and so,
I turn to my companion, The Distinguished Guest.
Here you go.
Thank you.
So, what can I get for you today?

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

[ampoule]

The Window Seat

I waited extra for a window seat.
The hostess said they are the most desired in summer.
"In winter they all want to sit by the fireplace."
I puff up at my good fortune...
a window seat.
I try not to look at the others envying me.
I turn instead to look out the window, somewhat taken aback,
A couple outside, just on the other side,
not ten inches from me,
talking, laughing, touching....talking.
I eat my meal.
I read my book.
I try to look at the scenery beyond them.
but they are still.....talking.
How can anyone have that much to say?
I glance down at my book.
Page 127.
I sigh.

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

[ampoule]

Bad Manners

Woman hunched over her food,
Eating, shoving it in,
Chewing with her mouth open,
Laughing,
Talking with her mouth full of food,
Beneath the table her pants-covered legs spread wide,
Feet planted, her heavy arms braced for the next slice,
Her male companion hanging on her every word.
Here I sit, staring, recording her happy life.

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

[DickZ]

Those are some pretty intriguing poems, ampoule. I'm hesitant to inject this into the sequence, but I think you should know what an impression these make.

[Sweets America]

I sensed sadness and loneliness in these poems. I prefered the last two ones.

[Captain_Kuchiki]

It's making me hungry to read these! But they're good, I don't see many restaurant poems.

[Pensive]

Pretty good poems. Can notice a little bit of melancholy and a feeling of loneliness in these too. Liked Bad Manners the best.

[PrinceMyshkin]

I love these! But I must supplicate you in future references to any restaurant meals, PLEASE include full details of the meal. Would you, after all, consider posting a poem about an, um, amorous occasion without specifying he [detailed] me, then I [detailed] him and we [detailed] together into the [detail] [&c.] [&c.] [&c.] ?

[Umbilical]

I love these! But I must supplicate you in future references to any restaurant meals, PLEASE include full details of the meal. Would you, after all, consider posting a poem about an, um, amorous occasion without specifying he [detailed] me, then I [detailed] him and we [detailed] together into the [detail] [&c.] [&c.] [&c.] ?


:D

Aw, so cute.

[dibyendra]

The Window Seat

I waited extra for a window seat.
The hostess said they are the most desired in summer.
"In winter they all want to sit by the fireplace."
I puff up at my good fortune...
a window seat.
I try not to look at the others envying me.
I turn instead to look out the window, somewhat taken aback,
A couple outside, just on the other side,
not ten inches from me,
talking, laughing, touching....talking.
I eat my meal.
I read my book.
I try to look at the scenery beyond them.
but they are still.....talking.
How can anyone have that much to say?
I glance down at my book.
Page 127.
I sigh.

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

It's really a interesting poem Amp! :) I enjoyed reading this poem. :thumbs_up

[ampoule]

It's making me hungry to read these! But they're good, I don't see many restaurant poems.


Well, Captain, I hope you stopped for something to eat. I have spent many afternoons in restaurants looking for 'material' as well as a full tummy.

Thanks to those who commented on my poems.

[ampoule]

I love these! But I must supplicate you in future references to any restaurant meals, PLEASE include full details of the meal. Would you, after all, consider posting a poem about an, um, amorous occasion without specifying he [detailed] me, then I [detailed] him and we [detailed] together into the [detail] [&c.] [&c.] [&c.] ?

Thanks, Prince. I will work on that. :)

[PrinceMyshkin]

Thanks, Prince. I will work on that. :)

I'm not sure that work is the appropriate term:


A man wondered if having sex on the Sabbath was a sin because he wasn’t sure if sex was work or play. So he went to a priest and asked for his opinion. After consulting the Bible, the priest said,

" My son, after an exhaustive search, I am positive that sex is work and is therefore not permitted on Sundays."

The man was somewhat disappointed but thought, What does a priest know about sex? So he went to a Lutheran minister, who after all was a married man and experienced in this matter. But the minister gave him the same answer: Sex was work and therefore not to be engaged in on the Sabbath.

Somewhat desperate now but still eager for a better answer, he sought out a Rabbi, the heir to thousands of years of traditional wisdom.

“Rabbi, please help me out. Tell me, is sex work or is it play?”

The Rabbi didn’t hesitate a moment:

"It’s play, definitely play."

"But, Rabbi,” the man said: “how can you be so sure when so many others tell me it’s work?"

"My son,” the Rabbi said, “if it were work, my wife would have the maid do it."


My name is PrinceMyshkin and I approved this joke

[Sweets America]

:lol: Oh Shou, you make me laugh today!


My name is PrinceMyshkin and I approved this joke

Is that your new signature?:p

[PrinceMyshkin]

:lol: Oh Shou, you make me laugh today!



Is that your new signature?:p

My name is Shou and I thoroughly approve of YOU!

[ampoule]

The Family That Eats Together

Table for four,

Father, adoring daughter,
"Daddy, what do you think of........."
her question trailing off as she looks up at him,
her face aglow, waiting for his always perfect answer.

Mother, comotose son,
or as close as a
wanted-to-stay-in-the-car-with-the-dog-and-play-my-gameboy-and-just-bring-me-a-burger-son can be.

Father, husband, stares down at his daughter,
that is my wife's face twelve years ago,
excited to be with me, her eyes bright,
her soul full of love.

Mother, wife smiling to herself,
men...u...menu...men,
a deep sigh, so deep that
Father, husband, looks at her inquiringly,

yes, hoping,
but her gaze falls instead to the colorful desserts
covered with whipped cream.

Father looks sad,
Darling daughter touches his arm, "Daddy!",
her eyes beg - look at me, look at me.

Son - are we done yet?

Waitress, "What can I get for you folks today?"

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

[ampoule]

A Day On the Town

A tour bus pulls up to the front of the restaurant,
and as if drawn by their magnetic nametags,
forty people rise from their seats,
thirty-seven pant-suited silver-haired ladies,
three men, all fumbling through their change,
adjusting their clothing, looking back,
nothing left behind, heading for the door,
laughing, still chattering away,
the driver waiting to greet them back onto the bus
for their journey home from a day of sightseeing in Chicago,
to their cats
their little dogs,
their canaries,
the waiting newspaper,
the begonia that needs a drink,
their chair by the phone -
maybe the kids will call tonight.

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

[ampoule]

Let's Do Lunch

The girls, table for six, but only five,
three on one side, two on the other,
four black, one white,
but she could be three more,
with her frizzy, teased, bleach-blonde hair,
her long fingernails painted chartreuse
to match her stretched-tight blouse
and slip-on shoes, her voice,
the loudest by far.

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

[CdnReader]

I love all of these, Amp. "The Window Seat" is my hands-down favourite, and I found "Bad Manners" to be a distinct echo of Jer's snapshots. I can see his influence clearly in this one. :)

[Sweets America]

Amp, I like these very much too! A day on the town struck me...this ending. :thumbs_up

[ampoule]

Thank you so much, Cdn and Sweets. It was an interesting lunch.

[ampoule]

The Couple On the Way Out

The place is getting empty now,
Travelers on their way, passing billboards,
speed limit signs, mile markers, exits.
Trees waving gently, dark clouds to the west,
but south they go, steady, hypnotic.
Eighteen-wheelers, truck drivin' men...and women!
Radio stations crackling, fading out,
She turns, "Are you okay, hon? Are you awake?
Should I put in a CD?"
He looks at her and smiles knowing full well,
she will be asleep soon, a tiny bit of drool
in the corner of her mouth.
He starts to speak...stops, but not soon enough,
for right away she is all over it - smiling,
"What? What were you going to say?
Tell me. Say it."
He shrugs his shoulders, "Okay."
Did you notice that woman sitting alone,
the one by the window, the strawberry hair,
dressed in blue jeans, sandals, pale green shirt?
She was writing.
How can anyone have that much to write about?"
The wife, so close to slumber,
leaning comfortably into the seat,
becomes wide awake, sits up straight,
and stares out the window.
He sighs, but very, very quietly.

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

[PrinceMyshkin]

The Couple On the Way Out

The place is getting empty now,
Travelers on their way, passing billboards,
speed limit signs, mile markers, exits.
Trees waving gently, dark clouds to the west,
but south they go, steady, hypnotic.
Eighteen-wheelers, truck drivin' men...and women!
Radio stations crackling, fading out,
She turns, "Are you okay, hon? Are you awake?
Should I put in a CD?"
He looks at her and smiles knowing full well,
she will be asleep soon, a tiny bit of drool
in the corner of her mouth.
He starts to speak...stops, but not soon enough,
for right away she is all over it - smiling,
"What? What were you going to say?
Tell me. Say it."
He shrugs his shoulders, "Okay."
Did you notice that woman sitting alone,
the one by the window, the strawberry hair,
dressed in blue jeans, sandals, pale green shirt?
She was writing.
How can anyone have that much to write about?"
The wife, so close to slumber,
leaning comfortably into the seat,
becomes wide awake, sits up straight,
and stares out the window.
He sighs, but very, very quietly.

ampoule, June Tenth, TwoThousandEight

Whoa! This is splendid! A virtually complete movie-script (and I with my newly rented DVDs of Rififi and Laura!) BUT what are we to infer from the husband's (or should I say the philanderer's?) very, very quiet sigh?

"Very quietly" might have meant no more than that he was fed up with his wife's constant chatter, but "very, very quietly" is damned close to grounds for divorce!

Not to mention that sly title!

[ampoule]

Whoa! This is splendid! A virtually complete movie-script (and I with my newly rented DVDs of Rififi and Laura!) BUT what are we to infer from the husband's (or should I say the philanderer's?) very, very quiet sigh?

"Very quietly" might have meant no more than that he was fed up with his wife's constant chatter, but "very, very quietly" is damned close to grounds for divorce!

Not to mention that sly title!

Thank you for your compliment. This really is about a couple I saw leaving the restaurant. I did notice him looking at me but not in a philanderer kind of way. :) The rest is pure conjecture. I'm kind of disappointed that she came off as a chatterbox. I was trying to show how relaxed she was, to the point of sleeping, but very eager to talk with her husband. That's how she appeared in the restaurant, not sleepy, but very alert toward his words and body language.

[PrinceMyshkin]

Thank you for your compliment. This really is about a couple I saw leaving the restaurant. I did notice him looking at me but not in a philanderer kind of way. :) The rest is pure conjecture. I'm kind of disappointed that she came off as a chatterbox.

I expressed that badly, I meant to say that in his eyes she was a chatterbox, pace:


A man was driving along the highway when a cop pulled him over.

“Didn’t you realize that your wife fell out of the car five miles back?” the cop asked.

“Oh, thank God!” the man said. “I thought I’d gone deaf.”


I was trying to show how relaxed she was, to the point of sleeping, but very eager to talk with her husband. That's how she appeared in the restaurant, not sleepy, but very alert toward his words and body language.

But the title does invite or permit one to think that hubby has, at least, "lusted in his heart".

[ampoule]

But the title does invite or permit one to think that hubby has, at least, "lusted in his heart".

Well, yes. You are a keen boy. Really, the whole thing leans on the title.

[goldenrod]

How shall I put this?

What is it that is said on the movie review half hour on TV....? Oh yes!...TWO THUMBS UP!!!

goldenrod...I hope I have waited until they were all in?:)

[ampoule]

How shall I put this?

What is it that is said on the movie review half hour on TV....? Oh yes!...TWO THUMBS UP!!!

goldenrod...I hope I have waited until they were all in?:)

Why thank you, goldenrod. And, yes, they are all in, until next time. ;) :)

[ampoule]

Once I accidentally happened upon one of our poets while I was 'googling' something else, so sometimes I will google a poem title to see what shows up. Well, I just googled, Dining Alone, and no, it wasn't me or my poem that I found but this. (So funny) Try to hang in there. It brightens up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9sO9OXS1Xs

[Sweets America]

You know what? My mind must be working strangely because even though I have been reading all of your poems about dining here, well, form the beginning I read the title of your thread as if it said "Dying alone", and it's just now that I realize the mistake. It's strange because there was nothing about death in your poems and however nothing in my reading of the title had seemed out of place to me until now. :confused:

[ampoule]

Oh Sweets, that is so funny. I need to go back and read all of them with dying alone in mind. You are cute. ;)