Portia Steele Award Organization(c)

Third Place Winner, Poetry

The Meaning of C8-HIO-N4-02 (Coffee)
by
B. Lynch Black
The Bronx, New York

we lived over a diner on Third
the smell of coffee in blue and white cups
would wind up the narrow stairs
and settle in between us
Meaning, we had nothing to say.

on long cold days of sitting around the house
sweater wrapped and nose-numbed
he would always say, a good cup of coffee
is what we need right now.
Meaning. i should get up and get him one.

spooning out the dark specks
into a red cup which never looked clean
one sugar and a splash of milk, a paper napkin
given to him one-handed
Meaning, i didn't care if it was good or not.

i drank tea, and fierce about it
deriding the lousy cups here, dishwater thin
hot water over sad limp bags