come, stay and let's talk. it's a good day to be alive
I realized coffee was elusive
chic and smooth aroma tricks
coffeelovers to become blind
to chains of addiction and workaholism
I wondered what business coffee had
to come all the way here (from Africa?)
to be served in a petite ivory cup
pocketed like a little dark secret (America?)
I take a sip of the black liquid
as the sun rises again.
4.30.2022
it was late at night in a quiet parking lot
near a hotel where friends cheered victories
Walking into the dark to cool my head a little
the coldness of night sobered my head
or rather soaked my head in a strange thing
I walked a tight yellow rope between
falling in a deathly cold pit of loneliness
or falling head over hills into the unknown
When I opened my eyes again
as gracious morning sun shown upon me
as piercing pain squeezed my head
I knew what I had to do.
I took the step into the unknown.
4.28.2022
it was under the hot scorching summer sun
I rowed my kayak through the middle of river
wide as suburban shopping mall
although I couldn’t tell whether it flowed
I rowed and rowed, belching out youthful songs
river kept revealing more and more of itself
until I reached the mouth of a city
and dragged out my kayak into concrete
I remember the river that gave itself to me
4.28.2022
it was the longest train ride I had in a decade
as I sat a bit awkwardly, with discomfort
into cushioned chair by the window
the train moved slowly, smoothly, like
butter on a hot pan, an ice-cream on asphalt
flying two hundred miles an hour
sceneries were a constant blur of images
unkempt green bushes, swamps, mountains
as if in a carrousel, the world spun so fast
I felt I finally found a refuge from it all
I remember the train and its otherworldly respite
4.26.2022
I walked through a dark empty silent road
as heavy snow fell from dark winter night sky
I remember the seething anger I bore
but not what I was angry for
too proud to make a scene, I walked in silence
hoping the road has long enough distance
to walk the talk in my head
listening to white snow crunching under the feet
4.25.2022
I walked along the lake of emerald color
out of a jungle of tall grey cement buildings
on street so long that seemed to have no end
but I finally arrived at a flat aquarium
passing by taxidermy of mammoths
that reminded me of American beef
hamburgers I had beforehand
to the plastic wall of pool of emerald color
where white beluga whales swam solemnly
I remember the whales
because I was expecting giant blue whales instead
4.24.2022
4.24.2022
I was sitting by the window in the bakery
soaking in the chamomile-gold sunset
perhaps I smelled freshly baked breads
perhaps I had a half-emptied cup of ice coffee
but the promise I made, I remember
one that turned out I would keep only half
but one that was worthwhile nonetheless
4.23.2022
I was at church in darkness in the middle of night
I held a cup of hot black coffee in my hand
staring into white circular stained glass
shining high above the cross
I wondered what I could say at this holy site
but only the solemn silence heard my plight
I remember the silence that meant more than most words.
4.21.2022
it was raining in the winter at the ocean
white waves roared and crashed ceaselessly
I took a walk by the beach
shivering in coldness seeping into the bones
as the rain soaked my duck down
I walked until I was angry
angry at the coldness, mad at the foolish walk
now, the madness of the walk is what I recall
the unreasonable, foolish, and reckless walk
is what I remember
4.20.2022
가을의 향기가 났다.
돈은 한푼 없고 쓸데없이
고급진 커피향에 찌든 어느날
내 검은 자켓 소매를 붙잡히고
클래식한 붉은 벽돌의 한 동내의
눈부신 노을과 반항기의 장난들
멋도 모르고 마냥 좋았던 미소
고요한 순간 느끼던 그림자의 존재함
지금은 꿈과 같은 그 순간이
잠시 코끝을 스쳐갔다.
there was a scent of the autumn
a penniless, pitifully soaked in luxurious
coffee aroma, that one day
dragged by the sleeve of my black jacket
that classic brown bricked street’s
blinding sunset and a little rebel’s tricks
smiles that I cluelessly loved so much
presence of shadow sensed in silence
those moments that now feel like a dream
momentarily breezed by under my nose.
4.18.2022
Ralph with Coffee 
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