Polly Magoos
For Julien Poirier
Old Holborn yellow, Zig Zag “Le Zouave”
Barcelona chocolate, Kronenbourg pint
four rose for you, heated terrace
rain street, an ambulance passes by
Turkish Techno, European tourists
Notre Dame, smoke in the air
French David went to Miami and L.A.
hated Hollywood, sold himself in movies
I think of walking to Bois de Boulogne
but was told not to go after dark
David shames me for not visiting the Louvre
or looking out from the Eiffel Tower
imagining Paris 100 years ago, the boats
at night, I show him my drawings
he hates to bother me and my writing
but finally someone talked to me
Rod Roland is a poet and artist. His books include The Playgroup (Gas Meter Press, 2012) and Best Loved (Old Gold, 2013). He lives in San Francisco, where he co-edits Gas Meter Books with Jackson Meazle.
This poem is part of Is Rain the Source of Our Imagination?, a project of Zócalo Public Square.
*Photo courtesy of Eke Miedaner.
