The magazine MAQ September 2018 MAQ Magazine November 2018 | Page 365

MAQ/November 2018 / 07

Poetry story

The time going backwards

Cigarette

He takes a cigarette from his mouth

that has lengthened

Turn it off and put it back in the new package

he closes sealing it

Put on the coat

It comes out of the house in the dark

he is happy to have the pack of cigarettes in his pocket

and to be able to smoke all evening

He brings cigarettes back to the tobacconist

just before the store closes

and he gets his money back, giving him the rest

He goes out in the twilight feeling nervous

because he does not have to smoke

and tobacconists are about to close

Gabriele Cavagna

MAQ/November 2018 / 07