Leo Pedretti
i
Genoa born
Wisconsin raised
America shaped
World lived
He knew
From the get-go
Life was not work
But dancing at the park.
ii
Brother to twelve
Uncle to seventy
Mentor to more
Friend to all
iii
His hugs melt
his voice echoes
His kindness reincarnates.
The Phantom of Genoa
Along the docks of Genoa, a man with bent shoulder walks
he is thin and pale like he hides under his winter coat
it can be very cold in Genoa, for him the winter is everlasting.
Few people recognize him, those who do to avoid him
of this huddled figure of cowardice; they see in him themselves
the humiliation of weakness buried deep within their soul.
Once he had been a popular captain on a cruise liner, he
failed, shamed by his nation and worst of all himself.
“Vada a Bordo Cazzo.” Rings in his ears.
Shouted in his whenever he appears in public.
Unforgiven he walks the street night street; he is our ghost.
grand garden at Giverny
are gems gorgeously
nestling near a warm abode
where golden path lies beneath
in thick impasto and rugged strokes
transforming terrestrial moment
into amaranthine beatitude
baggy brush movement
of varied greens~
transposing from soft geneva
to gecko and genoa
interlacing with periwinkle petals
blended with amethyst and magenta
unfurling paradisaical artist's milieu
teeming trees reflect
dappled sunshine
in exuberant flora
resembling your eyes
exuding ethereal joy~
every time you look at me
30 April 2021
For "All Yours (April 30) Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Brian Strand
1st place
Notes:The Artist's Garden at Giverny (French:Le Jardin de l'artiste à Giverny) is an oil on canvas painting by Claude Monet done in 1900 now the Musée d'Orsay, Paris.
It is one of many works by the artist of his garden at Giverny over the last thirty years of his life. ( Photo and info credits to Wikipedia)
A night for Romance
Wes at on an upturned boat of the type of “the old man and the sea.”
by Ernest Hemingway used, the night had all the ingredients needed
for romance, full moon and glittering stars on blue velvet.
She gave herself to me, how trite and old fashion this sentence sound
nevertheless, it was so, sixty years ago.
I gave her a cheap wristwatch bought in Genoa it was hopelessly slow.
I think it was in some small seaport in Guatemala or some other
the port on the coast of Latin America and the year was 1964.
Then the night paled I could see my ship it was ready to set sail
to some other destination. And so many years later her kisses
still lingers on my lips.
Corsica, oh my Corsica.
Corsica of a thousand charms,
Corsica of whose fragrance
I can distinguish from France.
I delight in your coat of arms
with an image the replica
of an emancipated man.
You were my childhood paradise.
In your gardens I played and ran.
Your shores inspired delightful tales
of a land fortified by whales.
Oh! Corsica, my Corsica
I long to inhabit your shores
to flee Hudson's punitive laws.
There never was a land so dear
as this idyllic island rare.
France did value thee at a price
and Genoa prospered from thy sale.
Corsica, oh my Corsica,
shall I ever see thee again?
or will my longing be in vain?
Oh! how I love thee Corsica!
heal my protracted home sickness
like a tender loving mistress.
An invitation arrives to my first dance
I'm hoping for some sweet romance
But I haven’t got a stitch to wear
Hope I find some creative flair
Top hat and tails and lots of glam
If I don’t find a dress it will be a sham
Off to the thrift shop I must go
For a few dollars I can be the star of the show
I pick up a stylish pink feather boa
Like the posh ladies wear from Genoa
A designer dress for a couple of bucks
Hope the guys come here for there’s a lovely tux
A pair of high heels and my outfit is complete
Those society ladies simply cannot compete
I will simply be the belle of the ball
For my outfit will look the best of them all
When I arrive at the dance I simply steal the show -
That night I go home with a handsome new beau!
Contest:-) Putttin on the Ritz
Sponsor Judy Konos
10th August 2015
Jan Allison
Genoa by night
Meandering streams of light
Like wisps of smoke
Wrap themselves on the hills
Of the dormant city,
Sliding towards the sea.
Genoa beautiful appears
By night too
Almost as awaiting
For the new day
Silently.
Genova di notte (italian version)
Rivoli di luce tortuosi
Come volute di fumo
Si avvolgono sulle colline
Della città addormentata,
Scendendo verso il mare.
Genova bella mi appare
Anche di notte
Quasi attendesse
Il nuovo giorno
Silenziosa.
The Phantom of Genoa
Along the docks of Genoa a man with shoulders bent walks,
he is thin and pale it is as he hides under his winter coat.
It can get very cold in Genoa, but for him winter is everlasting.
Few people recognize him now, those who do look away
from this huddled figure of cowardice. But there are also those
who avoid him because they see in him a mirror of themselves,
humiliations and weaknesses buried deep within their soul.
Once he had been a popular captain on a cruise liner loved and
admired by passengers and crew alike, but tragedy struck and
he failed them, shamed his nation and worst of all himself.
“Vada a bordo Cazzo” shouted at him whenever he appeared
in public. Unforgiven he walks night streets, he is our ghost.
Round Trip to Italy
From Bangkok
Plane landed in Rome
Transit hall
Drank some wine
You been sent home in shame
By fulsome jesters
Try Genoa
Martini…for sure
A new job
Easy now
Don’t let the ****ers catch you
Keep your head down.
Ship sails noon
From shores of misery
Screw them all
More wine mate
Wake up tomorrow midday
Drink a cold beer.
Tell the truth
You overslept…sorry
It’s no lie
Be contrite
Your young face oozes of sincerity
And moist blue eyes.
They sailed from ports
From Europe's past
To Ancient Civilisations
How long would they last
Genoa, Santander
To name just two
Galleons, traders
Who helped who
Distant lands
So far from their home
Indigenous tribes
Whose kings they'd dethrone
Aztec and Inca
Civilisations iconic
Along came the white man
Chronic
Pillaged for riches
To send back home
To fat bellied monarchs
Whose throne's groaned
Indigenous culture
Stripped from their land
Preached new culture
Forced to understand
Great civilisations
Of this planets past
With wanton greed
Would never last
Civilisations modern
Whose next on the list
New Guinea tribes
White mans twist
To look back
At the carnage thrust
White mans greed
Was their only must
For all the lands
Who felt their sting
White man came, took everything
" Inspired by Midnight Oil "
He was born in Genoa,
and his mother was Susanna;
and he set sail at the age of fourteen,
to begin a new exploration age!
His father Domenico
gave him inspiration and courage...
while his three brothers: Giacomo,
Bartolomeo and Giovanni ventured with him
on his long and dangerous voyages,
and accused of many atrocities...
they were sent back to Spain in chains!
A visionary with an extraordinary man's ego,
followed in the footsteps of Marco Polo...
and in his final days, he died a disappointed man!
One of the four sons of a wool-weaver,
Christopher Columbus became a great navigator,
who went to sea to learn the sailor's skills
and later to discover a land filled with riches;
rejected by The King of Portugal, he appealed
to the Republic of Genoa and Venice...to return empty-handed!
Finally, King Ferdinand II and Queen Isabella of Spain
agreed to make him the " Admiral of the Seas ",
and Columbus departed from Palos, Portugal with three caravels:
the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria for a slow and long voyage...
to find spices, and gold in mines and rivers and in other places;
and when one of his sailors sighted land,as if in a mirage,
Columbus thought he had reached the East Indies,
not realizing he had discovered the New World's shores!
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