Overheard

This week we were asked to gather overheard dialog at a restaurant and write a poem based on what you hear.  One of my favorite things to do is to go eat alone, especially lunch.  I frequently do this as a personal retreat, enjoy a nice meal and it gives me time to think or read a book.  This week I went to Chilli's for a quick lunch.  As I was sitting there I really allowed myself to listen to the environment, I wrote down phrases I was hearing on a envelope I had in my purse from a card I had received and created this poem:


I Told Her:

Just sit down
I told her not to go
Can you believe it
I thought I lost it but I found it
No No I'm not ready
I shouldn't have anymore
Together yes together
Do we have to go back
Can you believe it
I'll keep checking
It's so not fair
I told her not to go
I told her
Let's do it again soon


That day at lunch I was seated alone around 3 tables that had a mixed population, I assumed two ladies behind me were on a quick lunch break, three gentleman across from me were doing a business lunch and a mother and daunter appeared to be enjoying a mid-afternoon shopping break.  Again that was just my speculation as I didn't know any of them.  I didn't read the entire poem until after I got home.  I wrote the phrases on the envelope and thought I would rework it at home, but once I got home I realized that this was the poem!! No reworking but a mixture of phrases over heard to create one poem.  In reflection most phrases were meant in a context to do with food "no i'm not ready" to the waitress about ordering.  "I shouldn't have anymore" overheard about enjoying a  last bite of dessert, "together yes together" about paying a bill.  But when put on a blank envelope it has strung together into a poem.  A poem that has a sense of humanity to me, a sense of concern.  This really showed me the importance and art of listening.  I know myself personally have a tendency of speaking and putting my two cents in.  I'm challenging myself to listen more, open my ears and really embrace what is around me.