A Walk to Vernazza

It happened....I was there.

Walk with me to Vernazza.

Let me tell you of a time,

A tale,

A moment.

These overgrown mosses tell me truthfully,

It was a lifetime ago.

 

Time,

 

However is not always unkind.

It has a way of preserving memories,

Pressed and perfect.

For tucked away deep in these hills,

Is the kind of love that never dies.

I know,

I was there.

 

Yes, Pirate!

There may be clichés,

And fair-skinned effects along the way.

But I assure you,

These colors are worth the trip.

Like these worn paths,

They have been well used over the centuries.

So to provide you with a more intimate view,

I will pay the toll.

Fearing not to tread in histories steps, too make our mark.

 

Uncork the wine,

Let it breathe Dante’s air.

For this is home.

Do not act the tourist,

 

Breathe!

 

Even the Viking’s could not conquer here,

Leave your bag of tricks and jade-

And walk with me to Vernazza.

 

There.

He grabbed my hand

 

Asking “Shall we go by sea or mule?”

Giving me no choice,

He swept me up into his arms and carried me.

“By mule it is” he laughed.

 

That June seas left salt kisses

 

and

 

The Monterosso sun made frescos of our skin

 

Was truth.

It was ours.

It was glorious.

 

“There’s where we’ll marry,

With St. John’s blessing” he whispered.

While I feigned sleep in his arms.

Just so he would wake me with his lips.

 

And it was in the mornings.

When dawn chased the stars away,

That we would lose the days to love.

Making even Eros blush.

 

So long ago and yesterday.

 

Now,

Let’s toast to the past,

And drink to the present.

 

He would have loved making this trip

Again.

 

Do you think if I call to him,

his heart will make the journey?

 

My,

I am glad you came.

 

For I didn’t  want to be alone on this,

My last walk to Vernazza.

 

Reviews

[G. Marie"floating on an..]

Thank you for taking me on this journey to Vernazza. I felt as if I were there looking through a peephole into someone's life. A romantic view of a piece
of history shared by lovers of old pressed between the pages of their hearts. love this work of art!

[Ed Hart]

thank you for bringing me...the child in my heart sees everything new, and bright colors make me happy...if there is sadness here, it is soothed by the warmth of your hand

[Dane Osborne]

A passionate yet mournful and even yet whimsical piece all at the same time. You seem to have a pretty good mastery of older forms and I greatly respect that about you as a writer. I can tell you probaly might get into stuff like TS elliott, HD, Hart Crane, and Ezra Pound because your work has the feeling of early tweniteth century modernist poetry but it done in such a fresh and relevant way. Not many writers on here seem to know their literature so kudos on that.

This is a fitting tribute to your friend. Bravo:)