Scents of countless delicacies combine.
Enticements abounding.
Sounding china and silver sit atop the din.
Conversation flourishing.
Well-aged and fresh, friendships bloom.
Lifetimes remembered.
Hopeful new acquaintances search.
Longing for connection.
The swirl of activity surrounding me.
I sit alone.
~ elr
This poem can be read as is, by reading each of the first lines followed by the last, or by reading only the second lines.
Leave a comment and let me know which one you like best.
Image: ID 138578963 © Motortion | Dreamstime.com

![Sitting Alone, Waiting [Image: ID 138578963 © Motortion | Dreamstime.com] | E.L. Redwine A man sits alone in a darkened restaurant, waiting for his date to arrive. His head is down, and his hands are crossed on the table in front of him. A half-melted candle, a half-empty glass of wine, and his cell phone sit on the table in front of him.](https://www.elredwine.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/dreamstime_138578963-2048x850-1-1536x638.jpg)