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Hand Street

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

what to make
of fines herbes
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when you're not sure it's French
or mistaken English
referring to
basil or oregano
from Fine's Flowers
Image result for 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?
Image result for life line palmistry vintage
or does it take Main
past The Green Door
Image result for main the green door ottawa
and Saint Paul University?
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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
Image result for cheese pies lebanese
ah
but that's Lebanese French
and you haven't said
whether you like parsley
and mint
and eat tabouleh
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or can distinguish
Moroccan couscous
Image result for couscous anise
that tastes of licorice
and when you find out
it's the anise
from Saudi bulgar
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and there's no point
tackling baklava
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if all you've got in your head
or covering your face
is a balaclava
Image result for balaclava vintageImage result for star trek frank gorshinImage result for balaclava vintage bank robber

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