Dedicated to the staff at Costa Coffee, Merrion Centre, Leeds
In this sonnet, I celebrate the baristas that work so hard to make our coffee and give us a place to go to work, meet friends, relax, people-watch, build relationships, etc. Without these everyday heroes, people like myself wouldn’t have a safe and comfortable place to escape boredom.
You’re the unofficial superheroes
Of the city – this city – our city.
You make the Merrion Centre pretty –
A smile in a sea of ones and zeroes;
A break from all the wannabe Neros,
Psychotic politics, and other tricks
That the clowns at 10 Downing Street inflict
On us – like: how to pay tax through your nose!
And so you choose between one hour’s wages
And walking through the dark, cold morning air,
Even though the journey takes you ages,
Your superhero powers get you there
To serve the coffee that fuels these pages.
Thank you for being my Somewhere!