Premiere Contest WinnerFour Cafes

High above the quiet, darkened streets of January, the night wind begins to whisper secrets through my apartment window casements. Far below me lie four cafes, all in sync as they awaken from daytime hibernation to begin an evening ritual of turning on lights, welcoming thirsty patrons, discouraging lost polar bears, trying to survive.

Light bulbs hang in lazy swags, dripping evenly from the edge of each identical awning. Predictably, their glow travels as fast as the light itself creating a sudden and uninvited interruption of the Arctic desert landscape.  

Sitting apart on their respective corners below, the cafes squeeze into a single pane near the bottom of my window. Leaning closer, I blow a hot and intoxicated breath onto the glass in defiance or retaliation, an attempt at immolation perhaps. Instead, my unused air lies wasted across the cafes on the other side of the window, in an irregular oval of futility. 

I use a balled-up fist to wipe away the misty scene before it has a chance to evaporate and leave me alone, a desperate and inevitable disappearing act in the face of my curated isolation.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2023

Poem

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Perna Avatar
September 30, 2024 at 3:56 PM
Lovely imagery! Amazing!
De Beaulieu Avatar
September 30, 2024 at 2:29 PM
Well Hello Jaymee Thompson, It is so nice to meet you. Congratulation on the win. A person living where there are bears is very brave. I don't know where this place is. I know it is cold. Enjoy your special day. /Darlene/
Spence Sr Avatar
September 30, 2024 at 12:25 PM
Great narrative. I love the flow of the words and the impact of the message. Blessings always!
Dietrich Avatar
January 21, 2024 at 9:53 AM
Congratulations on top spot, Jaymee. I really love that last small verse and how it really shows the feeling of isolation.
Ward Avatar
May 6, 2024 at 1:35 AM
It's a paragraph, not a verse. It's prose!
Croft Avatar
January 18, 2024 at 3:40 PM
Congratulations
Lane Avatar
January 18, 2024 at 11:03 AM
Congratulations on this win, Jaymee. You're certainly not a poet meant for curated isolation!
Ward Avatar
January 18, 2024 at 10:09 AM
Well, of course that had to do well in my contest, Jaymee! It was top winner in a prose contest during last year that I named "Four Cafés" . Congratulations for a further Trophy win out of my choice of 35 "Most Viewed". // Isn't it odd that some people don't read the type of entry before commenting? Andrea, (see four posts above), referenced your last paragraph as a "small verse"! Lol!
Thomas Avatar
January 18, 2024 at 10:48 AM
Haha! I saw your contest and looked up my most viewed poem and was DELIGHTED to find out which one it was. I thought even if it didn't take a top spot you might find it just as serendipitous as I did :) I think I'm going to move toward more prose work moving forward. I enjoyed doing this one so much. Thank you again!!
Kauffman Avatar
January 18, 2024 at 10:08 AM
Jaymee, congratulations on your trophy win. Such an interesting and unique approach to the contest theme. Blessings of health and happiness to you.
Anaya Avatar
March 23, 2023 at 9:02 AM
Avant-garde—your poem combined interest and smart, edgy ideas. Congratulations on your win! I Am Anaya & a beautiful avatar is it you?
Schiavina Avatar
March 18, 2023 at 7:17 AM
Congratulations Jaimee on a superbly well written poem on a difficult topic.
Congratulations on your top win in this contest. Wonderful poem.
Agustin Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 8:01 PM
Wow! Congrats! Your first posted poem is a trophy winner. Thanks for sharing your talent. God bless you.
Fowler Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 4:47 PM
Love this almost whimsical write Jaymee! Congratulations on your win! :)
Kauffman Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 9:59 AM
Congratulations on your win Jamee.
Peck Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 8:51 AM
Very nice, Jaymee. Congratulations on First Place!
Lawless Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 6:07 AM
Nicely done Jaymee
Richards Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 3:33 AM
Congratulations, Jaymee.
Ward Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 2:12 AM
Hello Jaymee, Your first entry on this site has been awarded a trophy*. Well done for doing so well in my contest I set up which I called "Four Cafés." // *As well as on this page, you will see a trophy against your prose when you look at the Poetry Soup page showing the titles of your work.
Thomas Avatar
March 15, 2023 at 12:38 PM
Thank you so much. I had a ton of fun with your prompt! Something about it being so prescriptive added a whole new layer of joy to the process. Thank you for that. And for the win. I'm still buzzing with excitement about it :)
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