Man on the street

He had the appealing scent of cologne
and cigarettes
that makes me want to write poetry
about warm, dark places
and cold winter nights
that aren’t filled with nostalgia
though my imagination will tell you otherwise

It was like being transported
to a place I’ve never been
but have always wanted to go
a tourist in a forbidden city, happy to look
but leave the souvenirs to those more sentimental
and more adept at dealing with the physicality’s
of this non-existent romance
while I keep my treasures locked in my memory

Because I can appreciate the beauty of a man
without wanting to bed down with the art of him
for I’m not a performance piece
in this interpretive dance of passing people on the side walk
I’m merely a spectator, an amateur connoisseur of human street art
that I dare to reinterpret with words
all because he had the appealing scent of cologne
and cigarettes
that made me want to write poetry

© Indie Adams 2013