It Always Sounds Better in French

                1.

      L’esprit de l’escalier 

And there I am at the top of the stair

hoping  to leave  the scene

with the perfect bon mot.

Home in bed  I remember,

Oh no! what I should have said.

              2.

     En deshabille

And there I am, not George Sand

 greeting Flaubert,  not Madame du Deffand,

 the  salonniere admired by Voltaire, 

 nor Madame de Stael,  the coolest one of all.

Just moi, in a bathrobe--would a cigarette help?

I wish I were Jeanne Moreau.  Please don’t go.

            3.

     Crise de nerfs

And there I am, in a darkened room, 

 hands clenched  around my own throat.

I imagine a maitre d’ assuring me-- 

my petite nervous breakdown-- 

tres chic when said in French.