z, on the road

z & company on the road
is quite a show
now you’ve been told

picked us up in bari
took us back to monopoli
a little town on the adriatic

our apartment building was very old
just down the street from z and iwona
the ceilings i estimate as eighteen feet high
tall windows and period furniture were the highlight

narrow stone streets
great vegetables in the outdoor market
the old port was one alley over
quiet as it should be

and full of the local fishing boats
of all kinds and shapes
the italian monterrey was among them
most boats were painted the
traditional blue and white

the nice stone walk around the port
was flat and smooth as the rest of the town
this place has been cared for
we saw it with the locals still there
before the money speculators arrived

friday evening before a big religious ceremony
i stopped at a market
though we are 98 percent vegetarian i
broke our food tradition
bought a ham and cheese sandwich

a chance to enjoy the local cuisine
and was eating it when z. and company arrived
they reminded me it was good friday

as we walked toward the cathedral
to see the local event of the season
i stayed in the back of the group
and ate quickly
stuffing it with both hand
like a squirrel eating a nut

meri walked up front with the group
acting like the sandwich was all my idea
thus assuring her place in the good heaven
i licked my fingers only to rid mayonnaise traces