Connecticut Yankee



     In soothing silken tones

     he speaks of incunabula

     of shellfish and white Burgundy

     cordovan wing-tip shoes

     of his favourite Horn & Hardhart automat. . .

     but the trembling fingers give him away.

     Soon he excuses himself

     for pre-prandial Manhattans:

     at 58 he's dead

     his cordovan supplier long since out of business

     his old Horn & Hardhart a mere urban truck stop

     wedged between some Hong Kong bank branch

     and a purple neon bar featuring blue Martinis.



© Jon Peirce