Davis Square, Somerville: A Colonial Woman At The Au Bon Pain

***I often see a woman dressed in colonial garb stop on her way to work at the Au Bon Pain Cafe...

Such a prim contrast

to all these bejeweled

belly buttons

and the tight

grip of

spandex pants…

My lady of the past.

Oh, yes…

A contradiction

As she slips

A cell phone

In her billowing

Antique dress.

My lady of the past.

And

Yes.

Underneath

A bone-white

Bonnet

Lies the

Waves and crests

Of luxuriant,

Beguiling

Purple hair.

My lady of the past.

I expected

A carriage

To whisk

Her away,

But she lifts

Her laced hem

To meet the

Screech of the subway.

My lady of the past.

Gone

With  the

Warm gust of breeze

In the tunnel below

And I sadly thought,

“Where will my dear lady

Go?”