Diner Talk
Can I add spinach to my omelette?
Of course.
You’re ready for today, right?
Of course.
I spent all week
And this coffee burns –
Grainy with caffeine that won’t dissolve
Of course.
How long has this place been open?
The eggs were firmer last week
The server didn’t wink this time
Of course.
I do not believe the meal will end
And I do not believe I’ll decline dessert
I will only savor it
If I ask for a to-go box
Of course.
Strawberry Princess (from The Rain, As It Knows Us)
She brightens brick
From time-tested antiquity,
To a rich firework,
Whose shimmer
Never actually dissipates.
Those ruby earrings
Dismantle blue hues.
Like a scalpel,
They dissect ocean waves.
She’s a burgundy cup of coffee.
Her heart runs vermillion,
With a porcelain finish.
She’s a Pacific Rose in the fall –
Freshly picked.
She’s fresh fruit in the summer.
My strawberry princess.
William Pattee is a writer and student at Siena College from Scotia, NY. His literary focus often revolves around American literature and America’s literary identity. Pattee specifically draws from regional influences in New York like the Adirondacks or New York City. He hopes to use his literature to express internal conflict that is more commonly manifested externally and resonate with readers. When he’s not reading or writing, he can be found hiking, playing with his dogs, or working on a house project. Pattee is often drawn to and inspired by works of modernism, and his top literary influences include Ernest Hemingway, Sylvia Plath, Hilda Doolittle, and William Carlos Williams.
