Sign Language

It's ten pm. Two young women gesticulate
in front of my car at a stop light in Belltown.
So? I say with my hands. What's wrong?
I'm not in your way. But one keeps gathering
fingers and thumb, then spreading them out
as if casting a magic spell till I get it and laugh:
My lights, I forgot my lights! And thank them
with my hands while they wave back, You're welcome.

Christine Eisen was born and raised in Paris, France. She moved to Seattle twelve years ago, teaches languages, writes and plays early music on the lute and viola da gamba.