Tuesday Poem - a haiku from Paris.

Lavender still in bud -
cardboard pulled over the vents -
cold nights are long.

What continues to challenge me in Paris is the visibility of the homeless. I'm not saying we don't have homeless at home. We do. But in Paris they are almost part of the architecture. Last night I walked home from Shakespeare and Company, noting that the lavender was not yet flowering in the Square Rene-Viviani. When I crossed over the Seine, there were already men sleeping on pieces of insulating cardboard which they'd pulled over the vents. The hot air that comes through them creates heating of a sort. I imagine a damp heat - but that is better than damp cold. These vents weren't tucked away close to a wall - they were smack bang on the corner of the pavement, where two streets intersected.

To cheer you up and warm your soul, skip over to the Tuesday poem blog where you can read more Tuesday poems. I'll be posting my post on the reading at Shakespeare and Company soon, too, so please come back.