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Birthday Dinner
Let’s see what we have here,
starched napkins, colored candles,
paper flowers, imitation crystal,
simulated parchment menu
one of those ethnic restaurants
possibly Chinese or Thai,
last year’s lady not here yet,
perhaps she’s not feeling well
looks like we’re celebrating someone’s birthday.
I know your face from somewhere
but I can’t quite place you, a while ago
at one of these dinners I think it was.
Gum feels like hell
one of my molars cracked
down to the root so it had to be
extracted, meaning wrenched out
with savage pliers, the gap feels
raw, goes down forever
have a little wine
it will ease the pain, thank you
last year’s lady not here yet.
The menu’s changed since then
(probably the owners as well)
food’s dressed up
foreign looking, it’s strange
I put my tongue there and it’s gone,
last year’s lady still hasn’t arrived.
Excuse me do you have a calendar.
What year is this? Should I have some
bridge work done or just leave it and get
used to it not being there any longer?
It’s a nice wine, think I’ll have a little more
where’s last year’s lady? Oh dear,
I think she’s not coming after all.
What’s for dessert?
a glass of cognac would be good.
© Johnmichael Simon
2007
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