The Park by John Freeman

Author:John Freeman
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Copper Canyon Press
Published: 2020-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

Charity

In the mouth of the church

two men, three women picnic

away from the rain, a man

in rags beside them sleeping. Before

they plate sandwiches, cornichons,

fresh pears, cold meats, a piece

of bread is broken from the loaf,

wine poured into a red plastic cup

placed by his body, care taken

not to waken him.

The Waltz

Tonight in the park I was reminded of

the first waltz I attended, dancers turning

across the floor in orchestration, lights

low, the beauty of being young, trying not

to be, in our dinner jackets and dresses,

our parents’ cars polished,

parked outside, still ticking in the heat,

unaware this dance was a rehearsal,

to what it wasn’t clear, the movement felt

so free, endless, so much like the point

around which the entire planet orbited,

just as tonight people strolled in twos in Paris

picnicking in groups, laughing with their tongues,

lounging on chairs together—waiting for a chance dip

in light, like the lovers entwined near the empty kiosk

cooled by mists set off every ten minutes on timers,

a hiss of water meant for many, but now it’s just

them in the deep green shade of the trees,

those chaperones of love’s necessary discretion,

eventually it will be all of us turning and turning

out of a final cool night, we hope together, or in

twos, but it may be alone, we need each other

to face that fact, even on a night like this.

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