We stood on the cold porch
me in a warm dress,
and thermal innerwear,
Big wool socks,
hidden beneath big bright shoes
In colours of fluorescent,
and now some cold.
Layering is the trick they say
A dress,
under a sweater,
under a big, fat jacket.
And stockings to go with.
Him in a big, fat jacket
and shorts
and flip-flops.
We exchanged pleasantries
me in English,
him in French.
“I don’t speak English .”
“Je ne parle pas anglais.”
The conversation continued
We spoke slowly, in broken words
I called him crazy in English,
for the shorts
and the flip-flops.
He laughed,
A giants laugh