When he felt that he fell
in love again, years and years

later, he began to listen
to ancient love songs in front

of his wife who turned 
a deaf ear and continued 

to chop the picked parsley leaves,
considering what else she could 

do with such a sharp knife.
He listened closely to the words

of Abdel Halim and dreamed about
the impossible girl in the Cup Reader

whose wild gypsy hair traveled everywhere.
Remembered himself at seventeen

then looked at his watch. 
Saw his seventy-something-year-old

hands and began to cough. 
Took comfort in recalling

that he hardly drank, never smoked, 
took care of health and wealth

then he turned up the volume
and began to sing.