In Chartres
1
Young girl on a bench
Lights a cigarette,
Then, with her cigarette-holding hand,
Tries to put on sunglasses
And, with her camera-holding hand,
Tries to position herself
To take a photograph.
She fumbles,
She mumbles,
She almost drops the glasses,
Puts the cigarette in her mouth,
Puts the camera on the bench,
Tidies the glasses on her face
In a moment of sense to avoid a mishap.
Then, finally, she takes the photo
As a half-inch of ash drops onto her lap.
2
A small waiter grapples
To raise a large table umbrella,
Struggles to reach high enough,
His hand slips, au secours,
The umbrella collapses towards its pole
And he is almost swallowed whole.
Joe Cushnan is a freelance writer with a career in retailing behind him. His published work has included reviews, features and poetry in a wide range of media outlets. He has written several books of fun verse and the biography Stephen Boyd: From Belfast To Hollywood.