first really hot day since

the punishing winter and

nothing spring –

instant summer

hummus lunch and warm pita

outside sidewalk café style

under shade of awning and avenue tree

waiters are lounging out of doors

everybody is happy

sudden cool gust –

prolonged blow  –

oh no! – what now rain?

just wind – signaling what?

that tree above shakes and bends with the gusts –

green seedpods shower the   hummus crowd

horizontal green snow!

it stings the neck

sprinkles the hummus –

peppercorn sized – pods –

“only in New York” the guy behind me says –

he adds – “but look – nobody seems to mind” –

nor moving or complaining – just dipping and eating and drinking. –

nobody moves or ducks inside –

the green pods keeping falling from the sky –

in my head – shirt – all over my food in my water

I keep eating –

knowing I’m eating some pods too –

a new food seasoning! might as well just eat it too –

(what’s the difference?)

“a tree might grow in my stomach,” I tell

my waitress  -

“I bring you strong Turkish coffee –

very famous, very hot – make you feel good!

so strong, no baby tree ever grow in your stomach.” –

“bring it.”

© 2014 Michael Domino