Ardita Jatru writes

Dezi

For the first time I got drunk off

of one glass of screw driver at Crystal Café.

It was served to me by Dezi, the buxom waitress

who was talking and hinting jokes with dirty words. 

She was marvelous.

You're not from here, she told me that night,

so I treat you girl with another glass.

I drank the first glass to the health of my boyfriend,

the second to the health of Dezi,

the third ... I got lost.

And ward boys stood on the steps of Crystal Café.

They were, with freak nicknames,

Boulevard boys

who lured high school girls

and marvelous Dezi,

who was shaking her hips when walking in and out

with confidence

that the boys will enter in to drink some screw driver.

Dezi doesn’t serve over there anymore,

And neither the Crystal Café nor nicknamed boys

who longed for Dezi still exist

(I longed for her too)

But they left some laughs to the stairs

and some inebriation by screw driver.

If you see the buxom waitress in the town

send to her the greetings from the girl

who wasn’t from that county

(of course she would not remember me)

and say to her,

I intend to make an application to the mayor

to put up a statue

dedicated to marvelous Dezi

who served love drinks

talking and hinting jokes with dirty words,

there, on the groundsill

of the former Crystal Café,

with tray in hand,

forever

as my first insobriety.

 --tr. Laureta Petoshati  

 

 Earth Mother -- Richard Lindner