Gretchen Smith (artist) with Niaz Khadem (poet)

(photo by Mary Thorsby of www.iListPaducah.com)

Gretchen and Niaz collaborated as part of the Paducah Writers' Group and Lowertown artists project now on display at Etcetera coffeehouse www.etccoffee.com.

Bring me home love
for Bolivia

Bring me sunsets and backgammon,
café chairs and African love songs.
Where white button-downs hang
off of clotheslines and thin men –
black as coffee and sweet as iced tea.

Dirt floors swept clean. Thick air
and a warm breeze. Bring me
home love. Black coffee,
sugar cane, and white tea.
Thin men play chess in the park

as we play backgammon on the balcony.
Sipping americanos and club soda
clean like lime juice – fresh squeezed.
Brazilian girls always have younger brothers
and fathers they want you to meet.

But if you're home now, then you know this.
And American girls, they are fearless.
Brazilian girls know better, but
if you're not careful – either one
could get you killed, but I'd risk it

to be at home now. To wear
a white button-down, dancing
to love songs on a dirt floor
with a warm breeze. Sweat
dripping like condensation

from a glass of iced tea.
Bring me home love. Bring me
café chairs and floors swept
clean. Bring me sunsets, bring me
Africa, bring me home love. Bring me.  

--Niaz Khadem