Tuscan romance

 Tuscan romance

The spring sun is shining, the birds are a’flight,

As we weave our way through the Florentine light.

Filtered by green trees on the side of the road,

Bordered by clear rivers which for centuries have flowed,

We wind our way into the clear mountain air,

With our trusty Vespa to take us there.

Our destination unknown, but we know what awaits,

For in a Tuscan romance, good food and laughter's our fate.

I wrote this poem in mid-2011 while staying in Italy with my then girlfriend, and Italian.

Her family had a holiday house in the seaside town of Viareggio  in Tuscany and one beautiful day we had taken a drive up into the stunning hills and mountains that rise up in the hinterland. We visited a beautiful old church up on a hill surrounded by vineyards, had a delicious lunch and extremely flavourful Chianti (a local red wine) at a small family run restaurant that looked out over the valley. 

What a day in bella Italia!

Have you had any similar traveling experiences that inspired poems? Feel free to post them here if you have.

I am madly in love, and I don’t even know her name

I am madly in love and I don’t even know her name,

All I can say is life will never be the same.

Joy is coursing from me in an un-ending stream,

And all I can do is scream, scream, SCREAM!

I look up at the stunning star studded sky,

And know that right now I’d be happy to die.

For I’m experiencing one of life's greatest gifts,

It really doesn’t get much better than this.

The staggering sunrise of a dawning day,

The birth of your child, or own wedding, say?

I’m drunk with elation and possibilities a’plenty,

Knowing that right now life really means for me,

To simply live, let the future bring what may,

Throw caution to the wind and embrace this way.

For even if it fails and cupid crashes in a heap,

These memories, sweet memories forever I’ll keep.

I wrote this poem in one 15 minute sitting (with most of it constructed while riding home) on 15 April 2010 after meeting one of my ex-girlfriends. It's an attempt to capture the passion and sheer madness of falling in love, and it seems relevant to me again.

Because of this it uses a simple  rhyming structure. What do you think of this, could it be changed or tightened to improve the poem?

The real question it's asking is: "is there any better feeling than this?"

What are your experiences of falling in love?

Can you relate to this poem?

The beautiful image of the dancer is an oil painting called "The passion of dance" by Drew Jacoby

A second poem on love:

Rapt in the soft retreat, my anxious breast

Pants still for something unpossessed;

Whence springs this sudden hope, this warm desire?

To what enjoyment would my soul aspire?

‘Tis love! extends my wishes and my care

Eden was tasteless ‘till an Eve was there.

Benjamin Church

The many emotions of loss

I’m leaving,

A punch to my stomach,

My mood changes,

And then I forget,

The endorphins kick in,

Away again.

I’m leaving,

I go quiet,

I think of life without her,

Everyday longing,

And then I remember where I am,

I rejoin the conversations,

Laugh, eat, smile.

I’m leaving,

She hugs me,

I cling to her,

Now it's real,

No more ignoring it,

Putting it off,

Tears come unbidden to my eyes,

Suppressed, I smile, we kiss,

I leave but, I look back.

I’m leaving,

Excitement barely contained,

My heart is back,

A drive to the airport never was so sweet,

Life begins anew.


I wrote this poem on the 1st June 2010, it was an attempt to deal with the different emotions caused by my leaving in certain circumstances. From memory the four instances were when I was leaving a girl I had fallen in love with in Australia to go to Papua New Guinea (PNG) on holiday; while in PNG when I thought of life without her; when I was leaving the airport in Australia after her dropping her off when she went on holiday to Japan; and finally, when I was leaving home, heading back to the airport to pick her up after her Japan trip.

I thought it was really interesting that the same action, of leaving a place, had caused such different and strong emotions.

Have you experienced something similar? 


Great qoute:
Peace,
It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work.
It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
Unknown

Her perfume

 Great photo is by Solenne-J-Art


One whiff, and she’s here.

Not entirely, more, sweet memories,

A first kiss, a smile, a dinner date.

The sweet, floral scent lingers,

Happiness takes over, I relax.

She may be thousands of miles away,

But while it remains, she's here.

Written on the 03/12/2010, this poem describes a situation which came about while I was packing up some of my girlfriends things before I left Australia to join her in Italy after 2 months apart. I found a bottle of her perfume, a very distinct perfume made of all natural ingredients, and as the poem describes "one whiff, and she" was with me.

Have you ever experienced something similar?

Micro Poetry:
Quality is victory, tenacity is strength.
Optimism breads equality, courage goes the length.