Le Flaneur

And as I
strolled the fabulous streets
of Paris
I was le flaneur
observing minutely,
writing in cafes in St. Germain
tea at Le Select
and Hemingway was with me
and Anais Nin
Rimbaud and Baudelaire
and it was all rich and delicious
from the Isle St. Louis
to the Bois
from the Marais
to Gertrude Stein's,
from the Rue Moufftard
along the quais,
to the Jeu de Paume
and Monet was with me
and Van Gogh
and we drank at the Lapin Agile,
"Vin rouge, s'il vous plait,"
"Un demi s'il vous plait,"
"Deux café noirs,"
"Une tarte aux pommes,"
"Une tarte a l'oignon,"
Oh, never say that I was poor
in Paris
I admit to nothing
but gratitude.

^

Biography

Donna Bamford lives currently in London, Ontario, Canada but has lived and taught English in Paris and Athens and London, England as well as travelling extensively in Turkey, Iran, Afhanistan, Pakistan, India and Nepal. At present she longs to get back to Europe, particulary Paris and Tuscany. She has written three books for children which she is trying to get published as well as making several attempts at a novel. She is a free lance journalist writing for the Spirituality and Opinion pages of of the London Free Press and book and movie reviews for other local papers. She has an Honours B.A. from the University of Toronto and is of half Irish , half English descent - her mother's side hailing form Donegal - her father's side from Sonning- Eye, England.