Napkins

Freeverse

Can napkins not esteem or honour
a history of being placed gently on laps
to catch, take hold of,
what is carelessly spilled or dropped,
used then to pat lips
before being rumpled tenderly, after eating,
and placed carefully at one's side?

At a table in a bar,
a paper napkin on my lap,
I look at friends:
they have their napkins
sitting at the sides of their plates,
on that table, folded, ignored, untouched.
Is there something wrong with me?


(11 Dec 2023)

Reviews

[Chris Shaw]

Ha! No there is nothing wrong with you Andrew unless there is something wrong with me too:) I like table napkins. I like a bit of etiquette. I also have linen table napkins that do get used. Maybe your friends wipe their crumbs away with their sleeve:) Hope you have had a wonderful Christmas. A fun poem. So observational.

Chris

[Andrew John]

Thanks, Chris. Just placed another, which may be a little naughty. Do not read it!

[Chris Shaw]

Too late, already been there:)

[Andrew John]

Oh, tut-tut!

[jacob erin-cilberto]

Live is to be lived...not folded up and put at our side...
we need to get those smudges of life on our lips and hands and hearts.
j.

[Andrew John]

Nice comment, as always, J. Oddly enough, I was sitting at a table with two friends whose napkins were unused, even untouched. I found it rather annoying.