Poem for August

Postcard from South America

Venice!
City of calm, clear canals,
of graceful, gliding gondalas,
of shimmering, shining ships!

Ah, Venice!
City of beautiful bridges and buildings,
of ancient, elegant art,
of fantasy, fable and fame!

Yes, Venice would have been nice!
If only we’d checked the boarding gate twice!
Venezuela is not quite the same.

Published in: Poems to take on Holiday, Oxford University Press, 2004.
Copyright: Kate Williams