at the diner

at the diner

 

 

the coffee was cold

the waitress colder,

she didn't like poets sitting at her tables

 

sipping caffeine endlessly

not ordering from the menu

scant few cents for tip

 

she wanted the writing to move elsewhere

open up her section to real people

ones who had appetites for plentiful meals

not words

 

I wrote her an apology on my napkin

she probably just rolled up and tossed

it in her bus bin

hoping I would take one out of town.

 

 

erin-cilberto

10/7/22

Reviews

[Relic]

I somehow see that waitress as a symbol of many who feel they are above poets. Who see them as useless long-haired hippies. It makes me wonder what the beat poets would have left her.

Great one, J.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

they were compassionate enough, they probably still would have left her a good tip...and a poem, which she probably would have rolled up and tossed away without reading.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

What an inconsiderate waitress this woman was. Thinking only of herself and the tips she was likely to get. I am thinking of all that creative talent sitting at one table. Wish I could have been there, even if the coffee was cold J.

Chris

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Chris...I think she got fired.
j.

[Chris Shaw]

She certainly deserved it :) Hope she learned from the experience :)

[Carola]

i like this poem's story.
you'd have thought that any table being occupied would be a bonus in making the diner look busy!
but I guess in your country the waitresses' wages are so low they need tips to survive. we have minimum wages here, so no need to tip & most people don't. ...a blessing, though some people have picked up on this americanism.
our permanent waitresses I believe earn $20/hour and casual ones $25/hour
cheerio carola

[jacob erin-cilberto]

they are much less than minimum wage...yes, in this country...the servers depend on tips to survive. And they must despise poor poets.
j.

[Ken e Bujold]

yee haw. been there, had that very waitress, more times than I care to remember. and what I recall most about her, she always seemed to be carrying a torch for some fellow completely void of appreciating her inner beauty.

ken

[jacob erin-cilberto]

as long as he tipped well.
thanks, ken,
j.

[W. Barrett Munn]

I remember well in my twenties being that balled napkin. Not a diner but an all-night restaurant, and I was Joni Mitchell's Coyote.
Nice writing, friend.

Winston

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I like the reference to Coyote Ugly...thanks, Winston,
j.

[andrew mitchell]

Comes down to the eye of the beholder. Sometimes no matter how hard you try, you still remain invisible. These writes are so real where thoughts propose and look to the future, a favourable outcome.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

invisible until one day the poetry is noticed,
thanks, andrew,
j.

[Tom]

Diametrically different and never the twain shall meet not even in a restaurant over a coffee, guess it's time to move on, 'tis a cold house for love here ..

' he wanted the writing to move elsewhere

open up her section to real people

ones who had appetites for plentiful meals

not words '

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your insight, Tom,
j.

[Miss Sharon]

Well it's her loss Jacob. You can sit at my table all day long and write your wonderful poetry my friend. ~Sharon

[jacob erin-cilberto]

I appreciate the invite, Sharon.
and I will try not to spill my coffee....oh wait, I don't drink coffee.
You are kind with your review,
thank you,
j.