Zest
I have a big appetite:
For dining on the finest Prociutto Di Palma
Sliced thin, like a communion wafer,
Melting to the embrace of my tongue; for pesto sauce
On fusilli, the ecstatic scent of fresh basil,
Lightly fried slim veal cutlets,
Followed by lemon gelato and a double espresso
Infused with black Sambuca.
For the company of close friends
Where we laugh, we cry –
Without pretending – free
To let our bond bloom unexplained.
For family gatherings, the security of DNA,
Calling us to an ancient square in Italy
With pavement stones worn
And shifted, closely fitted;
The mystery of the past with
Shadows of former generations
Savoring the same food.
I have a big appetite
For travelling, with my wife to the wonders-
The Parthenon, the Coliseum and
The Amalfi Coast, villages perched on
Rocky outcrops facing the sea,
The Palace of Versailles,
And La Sagrada Familia, a basilica of light.
For praying
In marvelous churches and shrines,
Bearing my fears to the Lord and Our Lady,
Lighting candles all over Europe for family and friends,
Supporting the voices of the helpless and unheard,
And discovering the Lord’s voice within my own.