Old Habit - William J. Gibson poem

Old Habit

- William J. Gibson -

We sat in the art house cinema
where we used to go after your divorce

you used to go there with him often
over your years – everybody loves old movies don’t they

but that night he came in with his new woman
and sat on the other side of the mostly deserted cinema

he saw you and you saw him and suddenly
we were in a whole new movie of our own

you started to shake and we talked over what to do
but they got up and left before we could

we watched twenty minutes of the film
then left by the exit down by the screen

walked back along between the buildings
you waited as I looked carefully

to see that the coast was clear
and we made it to my car

after I got home you called me on the phone
and we talked about everything else

in the universe till dawn cracked an egg over
both our new days and after you hung up

I thought about how she looked like your
identical twin and wondered if his hands shook

main Issue 38 : March 2008 POEMS Lara Stokes - A Prayer for My Father Lara Stokes - For Kitty Before You Die Lara Stokes - Yes, You William J. Gibson - 38 Years William J. Gibson - On Sunday Morning William J. Gibson - Old Habit PREVIOUS ISSUE Index to back issues by subject contents Copyright © 2008 William J. Gibson or the specified author	Old Habit - William J. Gibson - We sat in the art house cinema where we used to go after your divorce you used to go there with him often over your years – everybody loves old movies don’t they but that night he came in with his new woman and sat on the other side of the mostly deserted cinema he saw you and you saw him and suddenly we were in a whole new movie of our own you started to shake and we talked over what to do but they got up and left before we could we watched twenty minutes of the film then left by the exit down by the screen walked back along between the buildings you waited as I looked carefully to see that the coast was clear and we made it to my car after I got home you called me on the phone and we talked about everything else in the universe till dawn cracked an egg over both our new days and after you hung up I thought about how she looked like your identical twin and wondered if his hands shook