Lief chose the venue:

the bar in full glare

of the sun,

sun-shine through 

frosted glass frontage,

heavy wooden double doors

with matching windows

and seats out-side.

 

There would be hours yet

of sun coming through 

those glass cataracts,

hours of heat to bake

tables and shirted backs,

hours of brightness

justifying the use of

shades on noses

and shop fronts.

 

There were more customers

across the street,

panting dogs with their owners,

customers shaded by the 

tiled buildings,

dutiful owners of bars and cafes 

throwing buckets of water

onto the pavement outside,

brushing the pools

under tables and between 

sitters,

cooling them.

cooled by the tiles

and shaded along with them.

 

Few customers bared

the heat nor tolerated

the blaze on lime-stone

and bleached white canvas

window shades,

few would drink

the warming drinks.

Lief chose this venue

for all of those reasons.

 

words and foto  T Carroll