An embrace would meld us
Thaw us and bind us
Rough edges would melt and seam together
Forever, we would be unable
To be apart
Forever, we would be unable
To find sole solace
So our frail hearts
Love with caution
So we, who shake
Love in fear
Umbrella-less pedestrians
Smile at each other in drenched pants and dresses
Beneath the pouring rain, strangers cluster
The tourist and the elite both under the Marriott
Students and elderly visitors in front of the Hospital
Others dance in the rain, slim bodies laughing
And the woman in the green skirt sits at the palazzo
In front of the fountain, she waits
A generous muse anticipating her artist
RED GLADIOLA 