Coffee Shop Casting Calls Poem by David Whalen

Coffee Shop Casting Calls

Lookin' at…and then away…
Looks at the coffee shop
Stealing glances,
Making judgements
creating scenarios
Every day

A sip of coffee
A quick look about
A quick appraisal
A quick casting call
Actors in place
And the play begins

The lady in blue
sitting next to you
Ex-trapeze artist for sure
The man in the corner
Back to the wall
Has all the earmarks
Of a hitman...waiting

And that silver haired lady
sipping her hazelnut latte
Is there a bodyguard waiting
by an idling Rolls outside
And that shifty-eyed guy
nibbling on a sugar cookie
Is he the trapeze artist's
stalker...or ex-husband

Damn! just as I started to call out
Places everyone...The play is begun
I run out of my refilled senior coffee
And `rise reluctantly..to leave
Exitingwith everyone
Stealing furtive glances at me
Looking at me
Then quickly away






Headaches, heartaches and regret
Is all you bring to me (did I mention sorrow?)
So why can't I just forget
And set my sad heart free

I NEVER EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!
…(At least until tomorrow) ...

You're a burden ‘pon my mind
You're shameless and so shallow
You're uncouth and so unkind
Cr`ude, rude and callow

You're childish, immature
far too juvenile…
To waste my precious time for sure
I've known it all the while

I don't think about you ‘all' the time…
at least not as much as I used to do
Now it's only ‘most' of the time...
like all night through

Headaches, heartaches and regret
Is all you bring to me (did I mention sorrow?)
So why can't I just forget
And set my sad heart free

I NEVER EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!
…(At least until tomorrow) ...



You're a burden ‘pon my mind
You're shameless and so shallow
You're uncouth and so unkind
Cr`ude, rude and callow

You're childish, immature
far too juvenile…
To waste my precious time for sure
I've known it all the while

I don't think about you ‘all' the time…
at least not as much as I used to do
Now it's only ‘most' of the time...
like all night through

Headaches, heartaches and regret
Is all you bring to me (did I mention sorrow?)
So why can't I just forget
And set my sad heart free

I NEVER EVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!
…(At least until tomorrow) ...