Pears

by Joy Green

On the sun-warmed shelf they loll, lazy -

seven golden opportunities

for frangipane, spiced softness,

for juice running down a greedy chin,

to be caught on his fingertip and conveyed

back to a mouth opened by laughter.

Later as that sun sinks and

paints roofs with rouge

we will wander through streets

listen to guitar melodies

floating from bars and

almost

kiss.

But we will wait

for the moment when

the moon, reflected in a puddle, lights us;

wait for the memory that will

haunt and hang out with us forever -

the friendliest of ghosts.

This poem was written by Joy as part of 'Poets under Pressure' in response to National Geographic's '50 Greatest Photographs' and the scene overlooking Moscow, with five pears adorning the window sill. Poets were given ten minutes to create poetry about a photograph chosen from a member of the audience.