Thanks Rigsy! CW Billy Collins - The Best Cigarette There are many that I miss having sent my last one out a car window sparking along the road one night, years ago.
The heralded one, of course: after sex, the two glowing tips now the lights of a single ship; at the end of a long dinner with more wine to come and a smoke ring coasting into the chandelier; or on a white beach, holding one with fingers still wet from a swim. How bittersweet these punctuations of flame and gesture; but the best were on those mornings when I would have a little something going in the typewriter, the sun bright in the windows, maybe some Berlioz on in the background. I would go into the kitchen for coffee and on the way back to the page, curled in its roller, I would light one up and feel its dry rush mix with the dark taste of coffee. Then I would be my own locomotive, trailing behind me as I returned to work little puffs of smoke, indicators of progress, signs of industry and thought, the signal that told the nineteenth century it was moving forward. That was the best cigarette, when I would steam into the study full of vaporous hope and stand there, the big headlamp of my face pointed down at all the words in parallel lines. ----- Original Message ----- From: "rigsy03" <[email protected]> To: "PoliticalForum" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2009 08:16 Subject: Re: Smoking bans at restaurants are more of a workplace health issue Billy Collins- "The Best Cigarette" http://www.american poems.com/ poets/Billy-Collins/816 On Mar 14, 6:27 pm, Cold Water <[email protected]> wrote: > LOL!!! The restaurant is old and is in an old area but the food is > excellent. It is actually "trendy". LOL Find the poem Rigs. hehehe > > CW > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "rigsy03" <[email protected]> > To: "PoliticalForum" <[email protected]> > Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2009 07:20 > Subject: Re: Smoking bans at restaurants are more of a workplace health > issue > > Why is a "great restaurant" in Cleveland in the heart of hooker- > ville?// I suppose your death cerificate will read pneumonia instead > of smoking.// Billy somebody had a poem about smoking after sex but I > guess I misfiled it. > > On Mar 14, 6:10 pm, Cold Water <[email protected]> wrote: > > LOL!! I went out to dinner with friends a few weeks ago. We went to this > > great restaurant downtown (Cleveland) and after dinner I went outside to > > have a cigarette and there I am - standing in the freezing cold - on a > > corner with hookers - smoking!! I actually considered quitting at that > > point but NAH! > > > CW > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "rigsy03" <[email protected]> > > To: "PoliticalForum" <[email protected]> > > Sent: Saturday, March 14, 2009 06:39 > > Subject: Re: Smoking bans at restaurants are more of a workplace health > > issue > > > I must admit I have trouble with another smoker' s exhaled smoke in > > close quarters. I never thought I would wind up on decks or street > > corners like a trollop, however. And the packing away of gorgeous > > cases, ashtrays and lighters seems cruel. White walls and pages soon > > turn into parchment and my daughter claims the scent travels an ocean > > and sea after a visit. > > > On Mar 14, 7:50 am, NavyBrat <[email protected]> wrote: > > > I smoked for thirty years when I finally gave them up 10 years ago. I > > > gave them up for three reasons, I was sick of smoking, the cost was > > > becoming prohibitive, and last but most important for making me want > > > to quit......being made to feel like a scumbag looser. I was thrilled > > > when the restuarants and bars and casino's here went smokeless. > > > Especially restuarants because even as a smoker I hated smelling smoke > > > when I was trying to eat. Personally I don't use the excuse of workers > > > having to suffer health problems from working in smoking > > > establishments. I am up front non apoligetic that I love not smelling > > > smoke and having it clinging to my clothes and sinuses when I left a > > > 'smoking establishment'. I'm sorry if it bums out the smokers. I had > > > my social backlash to deal with, now you have your own kind of > > > backlash to deal with. Your freedoms don't out freedom mine. ;). > > > > On Mar 12, 11:23 am, Philobealo <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > from my local paper > > > > > With regard to the recent letters about smoking bans at restaurants > > > > and other public accommodation venues, I would prefer to think of it > > > > not as an issue of freedom of economic choice for the restaurant > > > > owner. I prefer to think of it as an issue of workplace health and > > > > safety. > > > > > As long as leading health experts not funded by tobacco companies are > > > > in agreement that smoking and second-hand smoke are indeed injurious > > > > to the health of those affected by both, it would behoove government > > > > to set the health and safety requirements for people who do not smoke > > > > but find themselves employed by these venues. > > > > > The person working in such venues should not have to choose between > > > > keeping their job or their health. I, for one, would not want my tax > > > > dollars paying for the health care of a person who wished only to work > > > > for a living, but ends up contracting a smoking-related illness. A ban > > > > on smoking in public venues is not an intrusion on private enterprise > > > > as much as it’s minimal government interference in a personal habit > > > > that affects the health and pocketbooks of innocent citizens. > > > > > Robert Munro, Angleton- Hide quoted text - > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text - --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
