Cafe al fresco

 

Everyday they gather for their morning coffee,

a microcosm of the community in which I live.

Ladies in large framed sunglasses and elegantly dressed,

all gathered together under an array of parasols.

Old and young with coffees, cognac, wine and fruit juices,

as two waiters dart about from table to table.

The occasional vehicle passes by often unnoticed,

as all sit and sip, with some menfolk with a cigar or cigarette.

Tobacco smoke glides and swirls between the tables,

mingled with the aroma of freshly percolated coffee.

A nearby bakery adds to the ambience with its smell of freshly baked bread,

I sit and observe the scene taking in snippets of conversation,

hearing the occasional exclamation or guffaw.

An atmosphere of contentment pervades the pavement area,

people together enjoying each other's company. 

It forms a part of my daily pilgrimage,

a place to see and be seen, to be a part of those I live amongst