she sits
the girl in the café
one leg folded
under her
the other straight out
she is slightly hunched
over the book
in her delicate hands
as if guarding the words
from escaping
before she has absorbed
their significance
her dark eyes
fixed on the pages
of the book
her missal
the words a prayer
for her salvation
Yes, I think I saw her yesterday. She had the same book.
Perhaps it’s becoming a franchise.
That’s what books are!
So true.