Good Day
Birdsong melded
with forest fragrance,
butterflies danced
the exuberance of life,
while I sipped
Chateau Le Touron,
Monbazillac.
I basked
in the warm glow
of good fortune
as a gentle breeze
blew wispy cloud
across a painter’s sky
and then she appeared
with her soft,
Mediterranean eyes
and the je ne sais quoi
of her Gallic mystique,
and reality froze
as she sang
with her angel’s voice,
“Bonjour, Monsieur.”
My mind flashed
across 40 years
to a thousand falters
that had brought me
to this moment
in this paradise
on this Earth.
Naturellement, I replied,
“Oui, bonnie lass:
a very good day.”
© Shackleton 2023
Views: 2407
What a lovely way to paint a chance meeting and such a delightful setting,. I would cut the wine stanza as is adds little for the reader however I’m sure you have your reasons. Well penned.
Thanks for the comment, Savvi. I’ll ponder on your suggestion. Best regards.
The vision of an exotic beauty exuding a ‘Gallic mystique’ and the sipping of a Chateau wine are the perfet ingredients for a good, and memorable, day.
Thanks for the comment, Luigi. I was staying at a remote chalet on the edge of a forest in the Dordogne. I was lounging by an outdoor pool with a glass of vino, taking in the sights, sounds, smells and ambience. She was actually the post lady delivering some mail… but she had these eyes and this smile and this voice. Her appearing complimented a very good day indeed. Take care, young man.
How lovely, it’s like looking at a beautiful painting, an exotic idyll full of warmth and life. Then you come to the last two lines and you are tipped right back to earth. Brilliant I loved it. 🙂 Sue.
Thanks for the comment, Sweetwater. Bit of a yukky day today. Bye for now.
A pleasant snapshot. Not sure the multilingual last stanza is the best conclusion. Also a French person does not think of bonjour as literally meaning ‘good day’ and would just as easily use it on a ‘bad day.’
Hi Nemo. The poem is written from an Englishman’s (me) point of view and I tend to assume ‘bonjour’ literally means ‘good day. Thanks for the comment. You’ve got me pondering.
It’s a bit like when we say ‘Goodbye’ we no longer mean ‘God be with you.’ It’s lost its literal meaning.
Ahhh…. this is a beautiful picture brought to life. I love this sort of writing.
Mike
Thanks, Mike. I aporecate your words. Take care.