Jeanne Moreau’s Song

(when “Jules et Jim” encounters “Charulata”)

Written on the body
the whirlwind hits the car after
the three of them visit a park
the shy songster Charulata
a jaunty scholar Amal
and a bard called Bhupati.

The men eat lunch, wink at her
we don’t know exactly who
gets into her car
one man does because she
has something to show him
either a song for the bard
or a book for the writer-scholar Amal.

One of them keeps watching
as the other two ride
and he hums the song she sang once
in her forked tongue mischievous.

On s'est retrouvés, on s'est séparés.
Dans le tourbillon de la vie.

I finally finish writing this letter:
you know why after songs are sung
we separate and forget and yet reunite
why we don’t go home while we
still remain friends, stand under a tasteless vanilla sky.