GUYS AND DOLLS 1977

DAMES IN A WORKER'S CANTEEN IN 1977

The guys lounge in chairs
in the worker's canteen
smoking and chatting
and swearing
ogling page 3 girls,

I read
Spinoza's Ethics
Deus in omnibus,

two girls from
the upstairs office
enter to use
the drink machine
slim dames
one blonde
one brunette
ignore the guys
as they fathom
the machine's guide,

Dio in tutte le cose
I read not gazing
at the dames
but smelling
the scents of them
alluring,

hey Sheila
how was it
last night?
You give him
some huh?

Said girl
looks daggers
pulls a face
looks away,

I turn a page
then look up
capture nearest
girl's fruits
then back to Spinoza
eyes on the page,

guess she did
Lewis says
others guffaw
eyeing the two dames
wanting to paw,

ignore them
they're just too rude
the other dame says
waiting for the drink cup
to fall,

The world would be happier
if men had the same
capacity to be silent
that they have to speak
Spinoza wrote I read,

the girls depart
with their drinks
nice a*s
you've got you two
Kev says smiling
watching them disappear
with guffaws and a cheer,

I close the book
their scent remains
lingering in the air
as if in a dream
they're still there.