Spilled fruit, slovenly utensils
across a disheveled table
add to the tornado of ladies and gents
near the tranquil waves of the river;
A social hotspot immerses.

A prim, proper woman shows off her prissy dog.
Lacking manners, the bedraggled boatman,
sitting with the chair facing him,
remains oblivious to the compliments about the dog.

Sporting a boatman’s hat, a young lady,
chin resting upon her palm,
against the porch ledge,
falls over
as her mesmerized eyes flirt with the businessman.
A one-way folie à deux?
Or merely tired from a long day’s work on the boat,
leaning on the edge for a way of relaxation?

Plugging her ears, the dignified lady
inches out the back,
harassed, encumbered by two men,
the boating luncheon ruined for her.
Squinting through the blades of grass,
spotting an incoming sailboat in the distance,
she craves a way out.

Ignoring the pompous puppy’s barks,
a lone sailor,
gazing out the river’s horizon,
ponders about a woman left back home.

The chats,
chants,
remarks,
conversations
permeate one ear
to the other,
he hears the cutting edge
of each olive grass blade,
singing erratic notes of lavender,
peaceful and reassuring.