Cigarette Girl (17th June 2008, 11.06am)
I can see your naked hand
on the surface of the table,
tapping a silent rhythm
as we talk about
nothing in particular;
my eyes catch on your
curiously empty fingers,
resting on the glass,
wet from condensation,
and I linger on the corner
of your pretty mouth,
curved into a wry smile
as a stranger walks past
leaving a smoke trail;
I hang, suspended
in your sudden silence,
and you lean and inhale;
others look offended as you
savour her breathings-out;
abstinence is virtue now,
and you are such a sinner;
I know where those hands go,
I’ve been taken there before;
I can see you aching for
that familiar silver packet,
and I can see your eyes slip
to the newsagent window,
and as we sit here and drink
in the sunlight, you start to sink
into needful oblivion;
the conversation dies away;
there’s nothing left to say
except your admission;
words whispered:
‘I need a cigarette’.
Comments
Biggus | June 17, 2008 - 10:53
Exelent write. I have been there many times.
Even now if i'm in town I will navigate around following smokers and there wonderful blue grey cloud.
jennifer | June 17, 2008 - 11:05
Thank you, Biggus!
I can imagine it now...
some poor blonde woman wondering if you're some kind of pervert sniffing (literally) behind her, when actually you just want her exhaled smoke...
Caldwell | June 17, 2008 - 11:36
That would still be considered kind of perverted wouldn't it? Kinky at least.
"Honestly officer I'm only interested in chasing exhaled smoke."
Nice - those cravers who's conversation dries up when they can think of nothing else but a cigarette. Very true. I always lose patience with those who would rather go out for a puff than enjoy my fabulous company. Perhaps I need to be more understanding, like you seem to be.
gristo | June 17, 2008 - 19:13
Fantastic piece. Gave me cravings all over again! You paint a really vivid picture with your writing. I'm going to go and sift through my old fagbutts...
Doeslittle | June 17, 2008 - 23:34
Cleverly done and neatly written, liked it very much.
Dynamaso | June 18, 2008 - 00:23
What an excellent piece this is. Having recently given up smoking, I know exactly the feeling you have portrayed here.
jennifer | June 18, 2008 - 07:17
Having a non-addictive personality, I find I can take up and put down cigarettes and alcohol whenever I want... the observation of addictees is fascinating... go on, hate me!
Dynamaso | June 18, 2008 - 07:23
Nah, I don't hate anyone I don't really know. I can envy your ability though. Envy, envy, envy...
Biggus | June 18, 2008 - 08:36
It's worse than you think I follow anyone it doesnt have to be a blonde girl. I'll follow male or female young or old.
luigi_pagano | June 20, 2008 - 17:01
Nicely written. As an ex-smoker I can relate to this. I expressed similar sentiments in a poem, which I posted on this site, called 'Smoke Alarm'.
Aloe | June 21, 2008 - 12:43
i remember that feeling - when you actually have nothing else to say - it used to happen to me a lot when i smoked. i would try to ignore it and carry on talking but end up jabbering rubbish in a very distracted manner!