Americano (written on Sept 6, 2019)

I sit in a peaceful cafe

By the Charles River

Listening to cars belch smoke

Passerby belch lox and bagel fumes

From their tightly tucked in paunches

I order an Americano

And my beverage comes out in a neat little ceramic cup

It is dark as my heart in that cup

It feels what I’m feeling

Pain, loss, suffering, that little coffee

Knows more about my feelings than any AI

robot will ever know.

More than the tall dark and handsome server

Who serves me this edible insight into the

depths of my soul.