Today a waitress showed her heart

Today a waitress showed her heart

Laid it out on the table

Opened it up

Set a caged bird free

It was a crow apparently

Tattooed on her back

She liked the feather ring

I was wearing

It shook her out of

The humdrum of complacency

She was reminded of her mum’s

Grieving

How she was living

From one day to the next

Barely breathing fresh air

Disconnected

From the world

Rarely going out

Never eating unless directed

Too low to reach the high shelves

Where the hard liquor lay

Which was a bonus

If you think that those who like a drink

Are destined to drown

Too proud to talk about it

Even to a stranger

Who is paid to listen

Better than the danger

Of opening up to a friend

Who might care

But can have an expectation

Of making a change

Count

When truth is never quite as easy

To come out

If the person has a history

Of involvement

Problems have a way

Of evolving from small seeds

I supped my cup of coffee

It was good

Listened the best way that I could

The less you say the better

Leave judgement

To a judge

It seemed to help

She left with a smile

And a promise to phone home

I didn’t get her name

But it is of no account

No money changed hands

It is nice to share

A moment of import

Over breakfast

Without the need

To carry anything

Of consequence away.