Hand Street

When you live in a bilingual city
you have to prepared
for little idiocies

what to make
of fines herbes

when you're not sure it's French

or mistaken English
referring to
basil or oregano
from Fine's Flowers

and what to make
of the sign
on the Number 16 bus
that announces
Main in LEDs

does it trace
the life line
in the palm
of your hand?

or does it take Main
past The Green Door

and Saint Paul University?

and what do

you even do

with a sandwich board

protesting

that you aren't

at least

trying to dance

asking you

ever so plaintively

not to pussyfoot

or show off

your fancy footwork

and consider

if you can

the cheese pieds

ah

but that's Lebanese French

and you haven't said

whether you like parsley

and mint
and eat tabouleh

or can distinguish

Moroccan couscous

that tastes of licorice
and when you find out
it's the anise

from Saudi bulgar

and there's no point

tackling baklava

if all you've got in your head

or covering your face

is a balaclava