In
Belleville, today
will be
another scorcher.
The Chinese hookers are out
early, even
before the steam rises,
the girls
throwing water on each other
laughing as
if it were a beach scene
as if life
were as simple as
vacances d'août waves lapping the feet
of happy
couples at sunset
around the
corner, restôs still closed
but after
the last long hot weekend
kids will
be back to classes, women
walking
their children to and fro
the safety
of routine in peacetime,
food on the table, minimums.
maximums.
on my block:
commerce and the trade
that never
closed, a whir of sewing machines.
the women
and their lone male companion
who spent
the hot months making the red
dresses I
spy from the window go on
as if oblivious to change and chain,
happy perhaps for something
they have
been sparedhappy perhaps for something
- miriam
