Wednesday, May 20, 2009: On the Street….Color Steps, Lower East Side

The allure of purchased coffee is this:
Someone’s hands prepared it according to your

Desires. Syrups drool into
Your cardboard cup—caramel, orange,

Hazelnut. Before I’d tasted
A hazelnut, I’d sipped its facsimile

Steeped in espresso. Someone’s eyes
Inevitably roll when the barista says expresso.

So what? And isn’t it true, that buying
Coffee is all about speed, efficiency,

Routine. Some old guys discussed
All this before: that being in time is an issue

For us humans. Coffee is
A prescription, slid across a counter, scalding.

Pleasure in fragrance, condiments,
Heat: It’s one way of slowing down.