I arrived anonymous,
Mother's tongue raising no eyebrows in this town of travellers.

Settling together in our disparate roles,
We gingerly trade skills and share tales.

Our alien conventions lack legitimacy here,
A tender fog cushioning idiosyncrasies.

In hometowns,
Once-tranquil homes become restless.

But in this enclave,
Foreigners feather new nests.

...Until Basel is where we belong.

A gift for the host, my permission to land -
Champagne for sunrise, as could only have been planned.

The all-night lock-in; whispering late, the breakfast date.
Just smalltown lust, but why give it up for drama’s sake?

Months from now, all will be said and done,
Fresh appetite earned, from ballads tearily sung.

And I’ll search white noise again for something special,
Until passing faces burst into beautiful blooms...

No matter how improbable.