Published September 1, 2022
by James Madigan
(Oak Park, Illinois, USA)
Off the highway
out of our way
on the way
to Galena, Sandy's Café
filled with jackets
of lumberjacks
or camo
or fluorescent orange.
We were the strangers from not there.
Sliding into a booth
ordered pancakes
and sausages
patties not links.
I dropped 2 quarters in
the jukebox
punched K5 and K7
Frank Sinatra
Strangers in the Night.
The chatter exchanged
for a smiling silence
just for a moment
but I could feel
a new relaxed tone
when table conversation
resumed.
The b side
Young at Heart
brought nods of acknowledging
goodbyes as we
finished our coffee
slipped on jean jackets
and headed West.
Biography
James Madigan is a retired librarian, enrolled in the Masters' Program for Writing at the University of Illinois Chicago.
His work has been published in Mantis, Capsule Stories, Trouvaille Review, and others.
He is the father of three daughters and lives in Oak Park, Illinois.
This poem is included in Poetry World #4, published in the Wax Poetry and Art Library.
Previously published in Chicago Poetry Magazine:
Riding in Cars With Black Boys
by J.Victoria
Chicago Poetry Magazine is part of the Wax Poetry and Art Network.
- Visit the main Wax Poetry and Art Submissions Page to see all opportunities.
- Visit the Wax Poetry and Art Library.
- This website and all contents ©Kirk Ramdath and specified artists.
(Advertisements)