Sit and Watch

Sit and watch

little Orphean Warbler

on a windowsill connected to

cast aluminum curtain wall.

Outside window

no green in sight.

***

Sit and watch,

as words from different places

within blue carpeted building

are heard.

Voices from the hall,

adjacent rooms,

offices,

students, teachers

mix into a hum.

“I’ll tell her to come see you

in ten minutes”

“thank you”.

***

Watch the bird

as random words are heard:

“yeah…”

“there isn’t out here.”

“I don’t…”

a whistle,

footsteps,

merge into meaninglessness.

***

The bird,

sea of sound,

distinct words

 sail the waves:

“then people…”

“I said…”

laughter.

A lady in black abaya walks slowly by,

mobile rings:

“Shlonich?”

“Zain”

“Ana w Ayoosh bin yee”

“Wallah?”

“Zain adri”

“lesh thakarteeni?”  

***

Bird,

cast iron aluminum fishnet,

sea gulls hover

over rocking dhow boats’

glistening sails.

Slow steps,

“Salamualeikum!”

A man in white thobe and gutra

walks by,

waves

rise and fall.

***

A poet walks up the stairs

turns around,

tells a friend:

“We don’t have any plans.”

Walks down,

runs up,

waves

as he enters the English Room.

“Are they meeting expectations?”

“Actually, we…”

“I got some essays yesterday and…”

On his way out

said “Ciao”.

***

Smile,

look out the window,

bird,

sound,

until…

Notes:

 Arabic conversation translated as follows:

 “Shlonich?”    - “How are you?”

“Zain”- “OK”

“Ana w Ayoosh bin yee” – “Ayoosh (a girl’s nickname) and I are coming”

“Wallah?”- “Really?”

“Zain adri”-  “OK, I know”.

“lesh thakarteeni?” - “Why did you remind me?”