Shisha in London

Half inside half outside
This shisha café
On Church Street

Middle eastern couches
Middle eastern men
Middle eastern music
Middle eastern soccer
On Korean TV

Under a plastic canopy
A woman sits in a black hijab
By the plastic window
The sound of heavy November rain
Bouncing of plastic roof
Competes with loud Arabic tunes

Her body and head covered
In traditional black hijab
Her left hand holds a traditional shisha
She slowly puffs away
Her right hand an iPhone
She swipes, reads, types away

Her face a look of progressive optimism
Past present future
Blend into a single impression

Tiny lights cover the ceiling
Connected by black wire
They blink green blue red yellow green
Fake roses strung underneath
Somehow add life to the room

Mansoor sweeps rainwater away
Takes a break to light his cigarette
I awkwardly join with my shisha
Move from chair to couch
Feel a writer’s rhythm
Feel the nerves in my fingers move
From repeating thoughts
Of work
Of deadlines
Of procrastination

To feeling life within
Feeling bones
Feeling a pulse
Feeling impressions, feelings, presence

I smile knowing
I will remember this moment
for the rest of my life!