The sparrows

Sunday afternoon waiting to be served

In a local Japanese restaurant

The people in the queue are young

All students by the look of it

All involved in their own thoughts

With the music blaring killing

Any attempt to intelligent communication.

A massive chandelier hangs from the steels rafters.

A bulb is missing on the chandelier

But it does not care about it

As it has won lately

A few more decorations.

Live ones consisting in three live

Small brown common birds

Coming and going through

The open door to rest

And fluff themselves on its circumvallated branches.

The second kind of decoration is not so lovely

As the birds fly in and out they also

Make unwanted droppings on its branches

And on the tables and chairs underneath.  

The food is cheap and abundant

The place is indie

So the waiting crowd does not seem to mind

That the place is not spick and span.

Questions run through my idle mind

How is this possible in a modern town?

What about the bird flu scare of a few years ago?

But then if one eats outside as it is common

To do on the Melburnians terraces cafes and restaurants

One would have the same problems

And one can't even complain about

Rogues sparrows profiteering from

The outside heaters and left over food.

So let them be, they do not disturb

The patrons as they know that they will

Gorge swiftly on any leftovers.

L. Bailliet©

3/06/2012