cafe blues

well, it had been a pretty long time
well into 20 years
argos had passed
Os' mother had passed
his father had passed

one fine greek morn
O happened to wake
dawn stretching all rosy
from her dark blue cape
and thought he'd
walk down to the local coffee shop

it was early
and he was one of the first to order
it was a light roast
little bit of cream
you would think a hero
would take it black
but we are well into 20 years

An empty
clean
well-lighted
cafe
O sat, with coffee
near the window
staring out
the Aegan blue so blue

what does an old hero
think about with a cup of good coffee
sitting in front a blinding blue window
early morn's
zephyrs stirring

he thinks like
most mere middle aged
mortals

he thinks like
most men who loved their childhood
past

he thinks
this getting old is not so bad
but that it is not so good

he thinks back
and forth
like that

he wonders
sipping,
staring,
solving

something about battle
something Odysseus knew a lot
about

but this was a different battle
about
coming to terms

of youth
of aging
of grappling with
truth
and with beauty

and how
that is not really
all you need to know

because he is raging
for the soul
a deep dying
for the light
for one more journey
one more adventure

and he feels a little sad
sitting, at the cafe

shouldn't he be driving
to the coast
setting the sails
for a morning surf

the cafe thickens
O thought if he were to write this as a poem
he would have to edit the long chain of verse

because who wants to read
about a man growing old
wishing he had one more chance?

when will endless desire
retire?