Friday Night Out

by Michael Dylan Welch, Michelle Schaefer, and Dianne Garcia

First published in Haiku Canada Review 17:2, October 2023, page 67. Originally written 6 September 2014 while staffing a haiku table at the Aki Matsuri festival in Bellevue, Washington.

animated conversation . . .

an extra plate

of calamari Michael

between tea and sparkling water

we pour the wine Michelle

unsentimental

we eye the crabs in the tank

my child orders salad Dianne

our compliments to the chef

for the eggplant moussaka Michael

late evening—

still time to order

the chocolate death Michelle

another local red wine

and a yellow taxi home Dianne