Montmartre
written by: Kate MacDonald
I wandered the streets of Montmartre, entranced by the
bombardment of sensory delights
I felt the echos of Parisian romance throughout these
streets, of love, fought for or lost
I had promised myself this adventure if I was still single
at thirty despite family and friends’ reactions
It was growing darker, reminding me I must eat at some point
I glanced around, there was a quaint cafe
I sat outside, to enjoy the ambience of the evening. A waiter
gave me a menu, written in French of course
He laughingly helped me to choose, left with my order
and returned with two glasses of wine
His accent was like liquid silk as he asked if he could join me
for dinner. “Have you finished work?” I asked
Again his laugh rang out. “I am the owner, I brought your menu
because all my staff were busy
Hours flew by as we talked, he then asked if he could walk me
back to my hotel, via “Le Mur des Je T’aime”
This was “The Wall of Love” which had the words “I Love You”
inscribed on it in every language
In silence we stood in front of it, he then turned to me and
whispered softly in my ear
“Vos yeux, les fenêtres de votre âme, réfractent les
couleurs de l’arc-en-ciel, brillant de cette
pureté intérieure. Ta beauté délicate me fascine. S’il vous
plait, ne rentrez pas encore chez vous”
When he translated, I sobbed and laughed at the same time, so
overwhelmed was I with these words
“Your eyes, the windows to your soul, refract the rainbow’s
colours, glowing with that purity within
Your delicate beauty enthralls me. Please do not go home yet”
my body tingled and my heart was lost to him
Five years later I still stroll around Montmartre, but now
I have his hand in mine, and I am in love
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:
Paris is a city I adore and where I fell in love. This poem is how I would have liked it to happen, très romantique.
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