Sobremesa

What lingers after the meal is often the best part.

In Spanish, the word sobremesa refers to the unhurried time spent lingering around the table after the dishes have been cleared away. It's a time for conversation, reflection, laughter, and the stories that only emerge when no one is in a hurry to leave. Sobremesa is a word without a perfect English equivalent, and it serves as the perfect metaphor for this collection.

In this new book of poems, Jeffrey L. Buller offers a thoughtful gathering of contemporary works that explore memory, friendship, love, travel, books, music, teaching, growing older, and the quiet moments that shape our lives more profoundly than we often realize. Some poems are reflective, others gently humorous; some begin with ordinary observations and end in unexpected places. Together, they celebrate the beauty of paying attention.

Drawing inspiration from cafés, museums, classrooms, family tables, distant cities, and everyday conversations, Buller's poems find meaning in both the extraordinary and the commonplace. They are written for readers who appreciate poetry that is accessible without being simplistic, literary without being obscure, and emotionally resonant without sentimentality.

Like a lingering conversation with an old friend, Sobremesa invites you to slow down, stay a little longer, and discover that life's richest moments often begin only after everyone thinks the evening is over.