an unopened envelope br thought I knew what it contained br held it up to the light again br a repeated invitation never taken up br br and so I placed my cup br on the transfer-printed plastic tray br a geisha and a circus-dog br in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower br br there was no requirement to explain br and so the crook of my finger br took the strain br br the coffee'd lost it's swirl br as the dog and I br and the dark-eyed girl br in the morning haze of eggshell-grey br kept the aroma and the taste at baybr br Stephen Brian Bradybr br