HafizonDanforthAvenue

Therearenonightingalesinthislunchroom,but
Ihaveallthesepresentswrappedinthatcheap
Christmaspaperprintedwiththosecardinals
yousaidsangouttooloud.
Waitingforthe
lastofthebreakfastspecialsIfishout
fromthebottomofmyhandbagyourfathers
copyofHafizyoulentme.Oldink
ontheflyleaf,thename
thatisalsoyourname,thedate
andwhereheboughtit.
Noplace
foraladyhereatelevena.m.
inbittermidDecemberontheDanforthallthese
Greekmenatthecounter
ontheirrootedstools,sallow
underastrakhan,brindledmoustaches,
theclackofworrybeads,Icatch

aflashofamberandtassels.
Atoothpick,agoldfilling
TonightIgonnafinishonegallonofwine.
Tonymakesitgreat.Forget
themortgages,thepressure,tonight
ifmywifeshedrivesmeIcangetloaded.
Alaughingwinecup,atangle
ofknottedhairItingle
rememberingussidebysideIamreading
youroldHafiz,youtheNewDivanI
broughtwithme,somehowlinking
GlasgowtoTorontotoTeheran.
Lateryoustretchout,
thebookisclosedonthecarpet
aspiraloftangerinepeelonthecover.
InthephotographyoushowedmeSunday
youaretwelve,itistheyear
youlivedinBaghdad,you
arejugeared,apropercropped
NorthAmericanboy.
TherearetwoIraquitaxidrivers,
abigYankeecarwith
danglingcharmsofIslam.Ican
smelltheheatandthepetrol.
ThemorningbreezeisthemessengerofLove
Thebeloved
issometimesthesellerofsweetmeats,
thepoetaneloquentsugarlovingparrot.
Andtodayssnowflakes
mufflethemoundsofBestCanadian
pumpkinsandhubbardsquashoutside
nextdoorsgreengrocery.
Here,throughchromiumandsteam
thesugardredger,aplateoflemons,
jellies,sherbertcolouredwedges
ofchiffonpie.

Thebeautifulblackwaitress
wearsawhitebeanie.
TheyvewrittenMerryChristmaswithglitterdust
onthemirrorhereinMotorama
besidetheposterwhichsays
Cold,Beautiful
Milk.
Theyounglovers
holdinghandsunderthenexttable
playonthejukebox
Youdontbringmeflowers.
Andtotellyouthisiseasy,
scribblingthiswasassimple
astheshoppinglistitjostles
onthenextpageofmynotebook.
Love,aswellasbreadandcoffee
itsayseggplants,oliveoil
dontforget
thenutmegandcinnamon.

AfteraWarrantSale
Iwatchedhergo,
Annnextdoor
(dryeyed,
asdignified
ascouldbeexpected)
thedayaftertheycame,
sheriffcourtmen
withthepolitenessofstrangers
impersonally
toripherhomeapart

totearherlifealongthedottedline
officially.
Onthesideboardthatwentforfifteenbob,
aphotograph.
WeddingdayWalterand
Ann:herhairwaslightened,
andheart,withhopes.
Noonereallyknows
whenitbegantoshow
trouble,darkroots.
Itwascommonknowledge
therewerefaultsonbothsides,
andtheblame
whetheritwasoverdrink
ordebtnooneseemstoknow,
orwhatwasowingtoexactlywhom.
Justintheendthewarrantsale
andAnnsleaving.
Butwhatseemedstrange:
Iwonderedwhy,
havingstayedlongpastthedeathoflove
andtheashesofhope,
whypackitupandgo
oversomesticksoffurniture
andthelossofonesonlypartially
paidforwashingmachine?
Thosewhoareoldertellme,
afteramarriedyearortwo
thecomfortsstarttomatter
morethanthecomforting.
ButIamveryyoung,
expectingnottoomuchoflove
justthatitshouldcompletelysolveme.
AndIcantunderstand