Café Nostalgie

Spoiler alert: the book series “Youth in Revolt” is mentioned in the afterword and contains key spoilers, so avoid the bottom of the page if you haven’t read the book yet! 

Driving down an open road, the usual route

The sun-roof open, the sun still out

a woman’s smoky voice swims through

Airwaves as she sways and croons

Of love, far gone, still warm and true

—

I’ll park my car, in a familiar shadow

Under the willow, letting down

Autumn’s gold and amber hair

In piles I’d joyously dance around, but for

Who I see in this small cafe, I’m ill-prepared

—

I stop, I stutter, breathing shallow, rapid

Only moments left to run, before

My curious eyes are left raptured

By her angelic gaze, in a perfumed haze

Her captivating voice; oh! How I’m still amazed

—

The fading nail polish, the sandy hair,

Eyes of the purest sapphire,

That genuine smile so rare!

She returned from a journey afar

From exotic lands and sights to share.

—

She traveled with another, more divine than I

For she saw in him, a true believer; devout

Pure, free of sin, worthy of His watchful eye

And I, simply an underling, in endless drought

Struggled to dim the light I couldn’t live without

—

And now, face to face, I stand terrified,

Blinded by luminescent resurgence

Emotions I thought to be long efaced, resurface

My mouth moves, though little sound escapes

What brought me here? Why this cafe? Why today?!

—

I thought I’d never see her again, I guess

I hoped I’d never see her again.

Because I know that my offering is no match

For the love she has, and her pious ways.

She is meant for heaven. And I; Purgatory’s maze.

Afterword: I know this poem has had several alternate versions recently, but for me, when a poem of mine has intense personal meaning (Which is usually something I’ve experienced rather than dreamt or imagined), I often come back to it and add bits and pieces to give the story more context for the reader and for my future self. For example; when writing the more personable lines, my mind turns to chaos, and the details in my mind’s eye don’t always make it down on paper the first time around –or possibly even the second or third time– because my mind is not a quick one and easily affected. These small, sometimes grand details slip through the cracks and are only found once again as the dust settles. It’s safe to say I lose a lot of good material, but I love what I do 🙂 Also, the title is in French because I associate cafe’s and dumb love most often with the book “Youth In Revolt”. And how can I forget the way Nick lost everything in France, as Sheeni soon found herself shacking up with a noble Frenchman in a foreign and exotic land, while Nick had to find a way to purge her psychological presence. He never does… but he lives, and lives well

PS: I’m terribly sorry for the spoilers book!