Coffee Ballad #2

over the rim of your
fake ceramic cup
you begin, "Wouldn't it ..."

tinkling time with a teaspoon

"Wouldn't it be simpler
to hold the world hostage
by severing
the coffee supply?"

later I will remember
the taste of latté on your tongue
the sweet smudge of lipstick —

"It will kill
the efficiency of the workforce
and grind the globe
to a halt"

and you punctuate
the end of the world
with a surreptitious sip.

18 September 2003, Thursday, 7:11 PM

Alter ego of dandruff