Notes About The Poem

This poem reflects my early teenage years, the corner Cafe was where friends met and talked about anything and everything. The owners were a migrant Family from Italy, they filled the roles of our 2nd Mothers and Fathers. I revisited the area on one of my many journeys back to the UK from Australia. The area had been removed for road widening, progress? maybe.

Cafe of Dreams

Memories, where and why? 
Do we grab them as they pass us by? 
Once again, words and scenes 
Spark the trail of memories once seen. 
Teenagers meet at their favourite café 
The owners treat them as if Family. 
They speak the Italian language 
The welcome you do not understand, 
Kisses on both cheeks, smile in return. 
Our favourite booth is a place of stories, 
Our daily trials or doom of schooling. 
Favourite drinks, a cup of oxo, 
Pepper added do not grimace. 
Laughing at words so seemingly harmless 
No one challenged as we tell our stories, 
Bonded by some mysterious feelings. 
Now in later life considered an adult, 
Looking back, evenings with another Mother. 
A neighbourhood of the working class, 
Adults keeping us in sight in their safe World. 
The street corner where this world once existed, 
No café now, just houses and traffic. 
This is the spot for sure, 
I hear voices and see friendly faces, 
Tears and smiles, hoping there is no one close by. 
Daydream mode is now my close friend, 
All stops, a signal, time to relax. 
Walk away, spring in my step, 
Tomorrow's forever will be kept.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2021

Poem

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Leiser Avatar
October 13, 2021 at 6:45 PM
You captured the nostalgia well in your fine poem, John. I enjoyed walking down memory lane with you! :)
A'Hern Avatar
November 17, 2021 at 2:25 AM
Hi Laura, better late than never. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment on my poem. This memory lane walk kept us, a so called gang, quite harmless, entertained as we listened to each others stories of their day. I never dreamed that one day i would get lost in poetry land.
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