The Havana cafe, Leamington Spa
by poetrydiary
Chocolate on the cappuccino etched into “Che”,
and a languid jazz backing track.
Slow service, with a smile,
and battered paperbacks amongst eclectic art
of faded intensity
and forlorn hope.
A saxophone and trumpet on the wall,
and 1950s ceiling fan, expelling the English winter.
The Financial Times and concert flyers
on a battered piano with wax-stained candlesticks;
a chalked advert for a wine-tasting evening;
plain wooden tables
and assorted chairs.
Cigars at twenty pounds a go;
some customers chatting gently – most reading.
Thus fully-equipped to solve the problems of the world,
I prefer to forget time, and watch instead
the gentle sway of the waitress’s hips.
——————–
Perfect cafés are hard to find, or define. I feel this one does pretty well; it’s a regular weekend haunt these days.
Posted on Poets United and dVerse.
Wow. Is this seat taken? I feel invited in, great write!
I appreciate the details of the cafe ~ But I smiled at where your eyes swayed to ~ Happy day to you ~
It sounds like a nice place for a Sunday afternoon………
What a wonderful scene you captured–and that ending was perfect! Thank you for sharing a seat with me 😉
You really have set the scene well, providing so many details that I felt as if I was right there….I smiled at the ending…watching the waitress’s hips. Not a bad addition to the experience of the cafe!
Thanks Mary – I have corrected my spelling of waitress’s!
These many observations have been brought to life in your poem.
such laid-back places are hard to find. wonderful imagery!
Che was one of my heroes when i was much younger. 🙂
Such beautiful writing…Loved it…..
inside that bowl, I see the whole world
fantastic attention to detail. Hips are especially fun to watch!
I want to be there in that setting!
Great imagery!
smiles…does not sound like a bad view..ha…you def set the scene nicely and sounds like a cool place….
I love all the little details you capture here. You inspire me to attempt something so closely observed like this, instead of forever flying off into abstract speculation. Nicely done!
Would love to visit Havana…besides the great details, I like to read about the people watching 😉
So would I – I fear there may be a romantic overlay in the concept of Havana and Cuba as portrayed abroad, but then there’s nothing wrong with that either!