you'll sense much friction
whence the ladies come into contact
they'll show an outer courtesy
toward each other
yet be privately thinking
I'm not fond of her

there's no love lost
no not at all
between them there's
a thorny wall

the forced pleasantries
are a dead give away
it's not hard for an interpreter
to see through the display

you'll wonder
who or what?
lies in the middle
of their stance
which doesn't fail
to catch the translator's
glance