The smell of old books and beer
spilled upon the streets
leaves my mind at ease to wander
amid the smokey bars and jazz beats.

I speak to an old woman
who sits upon a velvet stool
She runs the lovely book shop
but swears she was once a fool

"A fool for love." she says to me
and my mind begins to race and run
"I once too was a musician.."
Of course! She was listening to Beethoven for fun!

"I left college for him. I gave up music for a normal life "
My heart sank further, as I thought about her strife.


Her blue eyes became a bit watery
and I asked her if she liked working here
She looked at me and smiled and said,
"Of course I do, my dear."

I let my eyes meet hers
and there, I saw the past
The person that I could have been
If I had given up at last.

I ran to the bookshelves
and hid behind their words.

I felt terribly ill all of a sudden
and began to sob uncontrollably.

It didn't help when I turned around
that there on the shelf,
was a book of John Donne poems
and therefore, you, yourself.

I searched through the book
to find that one sonnet

that you showed me after we parted
...my eyes quickly darted...

But, to no avail would I see it,
for I had forgotten the phrase
Much like I had forgotten all the good
in our life while we were in that daze.

So I sobbed upon the bookstore floor
and threw the poems away from me.
For I knew that no matter where I was,
you, there, would always be.