STUDY IN WHITES br Wax-white— br Floor, ceiling, walls. br Ivory shadows br Over the pavement br Polished to cream surfaces br By constant sweeping. br The big room is coloured like the petals br Of a great magnolia, br And has a patina br Of flower bloom br Which makes it shine dimly br Under the electric lamps. br Chairs are ranged in rows br Like sepia seeds br Waiting fulfilment. br The chalk-white spot of a cook’s cap br Moves unglossily against the vaguely bright wall— br Dull chalk-white striking the retina like a blow br Thru the wavering uncertainty of steam. br Vitreous-white of glasses with green reflections, br Ice-green carboys, shifting—greener, bluer—with the jar of moving water. br Jagged green-white bowls of pressed glass br Rearing snow-peaks of chipped sugar br Above the lighthouse-shaped castors br Of grey pepper and grey-white salt. br Grey-white placards: “Oyster Stew, Cornbeef Hash, Frankfurters”: br Marble slabs veined with words in meandering lines. br Dropping on the white counter like horn notes br Through a web of violins, br The flat yellow lights of oranges, br The cube-red splashes of apples, br In high plated épergnes. br The electric clock jerks every half-minute: br “Coming!—Past!” br “Three beef-steaks and a chicken-pie,” br Bawled through a slide while the clock jerks heavily. br A man carries a china mug of coffee to a distant chair. br Two rice puddings and a salmon salad br Are pushed over the counter; br The unfulfilled chairs open to receive them. br A spoon falls upon the floor with the impact of metal striking stone, br And the sound throws across the room br Sharp, invisible zigzags br Of silver.