Pre-Raphaelite In A Cafe Poem by Terry Collett

The dame in front of you
in the Italian cafe
with the Pre-Raphaelite hair,
stirs memories
of the Brotherhood
and college,
and the tale
of Liz Siddel
posing for Ophelia
in a bathtub
full of water
in winter,
afterwards getting
very ill and severe cold
or pneumonia;
her old man
blamed Millais
and threatened
legal action,
so Millais paid
the doc's bills.

The dame is slim,
slim hands,
fingers holding
the mug of coffee.

You study her
momentarily,
sipping your latte.

Tale bellezza,
tale bellezza.

Then some older dame
comes in,
and they hug
then they both leave.

You sip and stare,
wishing
she was still there.