The Phonetics of Communication

The Phonetics of Communication

The man with a bicycle

wears a cobalt blue jumpsuit

pairing the boots. Guides his vehicle with gentleness - his right hand gripping

handlebars, firmly, while walking

The two old ladies

never recognize me, unless

I'm doing what I'm supposed to

do in the place I'm expected

I've quit offering them a lift -

they always refuse

The weatherman

can be told he's nuts – he will

only understand the intoning.

Shouting not required – though

a bit of puissance, can sometimes

help. Collects hard plastic objects

under the fig tree

For what?

The vet's Doberman

barks not with his killing eyes. Teeth

will shine

The retired chief policeman

now thinks he's the cabbage expert

A very self-contained man until

he speaks

The English teacher

comes along in her therapeutic stroll

Obviously we need words, semantics

before a smile breaks

She's curious about the plants

The young girl

dresses black tight

Listens to music; steps moving

her swiftly forward

The weatherman's daughter & son

are not innocent to their lies

The herdsman

speaks a lot, attracting zillions of flies. He has a gorgeous daughter. His

wife lives in another village, on the

eastern slope. She rides a jeep and collects

wild watercress.

The man with the book

seems to be reading, his nose pointing to the line in the page. Two dogs manoeuvre upfront his path. He and the bicycle man

always meet about the same crossroads

They raise an engaging salute.

© 2015, José Coelho