Bathed in red light,
seated at a table,
alone, an unknown woman gets ready
to light a cigarette.

She opens the cigarette box,
with a habitual gesture
she takes out a cigarette and
puts it in her mouth.

With her left hand she
brushes a wisp of hair away from her face,
with her right she takes a lighter,
flicks it open with her thumb
and turns the flint wheel.

Out leaps the flame
into her eyes,
onto her hair,
with the cigarette she nears it slowly,
and sensually,
in a timeless pause
in her invisible ageing,

inhales
the first draw.