Kama Sutra at Barnes & Noble | Olivia Williams

Olivia Williams

Kama Sutra at Barnes & Noble

in the café an elderly couple sit in the pea green velvet arm chairs.

their legs crossed, facing toward one another. they read magazines.

the woman looks at an issue of Southern Style, her face relaxed, and the man, at The Modern Kama Sutra.

the woman looks over to the man, her white wavy hair landing on her silver, astronaut-like winter jacket, and smiles, her cheeks rising with it. the man wears a black beanie, glasses to match. his white hair peeks through the ends and down his back. her eyes widen and mouth shifts,

Is that real?! It seems like it would slip out when it gets really intense.

the man continues to show her the page, opening the magazine wider for the woman to see. she shifts softly in the seat and shoves the Southern Style over his pages, eyes back to normal but still red in the face.

Look at this one! It would look great in the living room, what do you think?

the man nods and twists the corners of his mouth, then gazes back to the Kama Sutra, he turns the page. the woman is taken aback,

her eyebrows go from shock to a frown,

he tries to explain to her,

I think we should try that...it looks interesting.

the woman looks at the page, she doesn’t like it and shakes her head no. her mouth small, fists clenched around the Southern Style

the man then turns to the next page. they both stare at the scene in the magazine

No, there’s no way…

the man strokes his white face whiskers, obviously disgruntled, and shifts his body back into the seat and looks around. he pulls the magazine towards him until it is closed. his left hand bears no ring, the woman wears a ring but, on her right hand her left is empty…

I don’t like that table by the way, it would be too big in the living room. And those curtains… absolutely hideous.

This poem was inspired by a couple at Barnes & Noble in the café talking and reading together. This poem is fun but also addresses other issues that are important.