Positano

 

Four feet,

Two His, two mine,

Stretched out facing the emerald sea,

Against the winter sun.

 

We were in Positano,

By this breath-taking corniche,

Where the shore stretched free,

But for four, happy feet.

 

Can you hear the silence of the sea?

No one heard the silence of the sea.

 

The pizza at the seaside restaurant arrived.

It had anchovies, no meat.

Drunk on limoncello, I omit

“Vegetarian please” (in my order slip).

A bite later, He screamed,

Jaws clenched like Amalfi’s jagged cliffs.

“What was that? Bone? Is it fish?”

I apologised. I plead.

He paid no heed.

I ate that pizza alone.

 

And no. We did not make love on that pebble beach,

Where the mild rays of February kissed my skin peach.

Instead, we took a selfie

Showing four, happy feet.

 

© Vidya Venkat (2020)