December In Paris

December Paris  

Winter Paris pavement cafés vacant chairs and poor sparrows look for 
baguette crumbs. Artists had gone to their loft conversions, in bed with 
their models and plates of goose liver pate, waiting for a better time. 
I came across a posh bistro people inside wore silk suits, doors locked;
 invitation only. A famous philosopher came out, said something deep 
about peace- in broken English- then asked where the camera was. 
When he saw I wasn’t a journalist he said: Merde, and walked back in. 
At the bookshop Shakespeare, academic tourists had assembled they 
looked through books of famous writers, thought of saying that two of 
my poetry collections were there, but they looked so educated, wore 
capes of superiority and poetry workshop shoes I lost my nerve. Rain,
found a bistro at a side street, had coffee with an Armagnac, thought 
of the days when Ernest Hemingway scribbled away here, other writers 
too, when Paris was not so haughtily conscious of her artistic status.

Copyright © | Year Posted 2011



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 12/21/2011 5:37:00 AM
I enjoyed reading your poetry this morning Jan. Wishing you a New Year filled with inspiration and the best to you in your writing endeavors whatever they may be. Love, Carol
Login to Reply
Hansen Avatar
Jan Oskar Hansen
Date: 12/21/2011 6:19:00 AM
thank you Carol
Date: 12/19/2011 9:41:00 AM
I would love to know how one survives, a poet in Paris today. Write a book. Charm offsets her winter gloom, though she so delights when the sun's out. Bought a book at Shakespere two weeks ago. If you'd said, "Buy mine;" I'd have done. Autographed, of course, for posterity.
Login to Reply
Hansen Avatar
Jan Oskar Hansen
Date: 12/19/2011 10:59:00 AM
thank you John
Date: 12/19/2011 5:09:00 AM
oh the louvre opened first weekend of every month for free... loved the pastries at the cafe you so eloquently wrote...............
Login to Reply
Hansen Avatar
Jan Oskar Hansen
Date: 12/19/2011 6:27:00 AM
thank you Patrick
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter