Montepulciano. Poem by Geoffrey Fafard

The waiter in Ristorante Degli Archi
Looked just like that Italian kid at home
Ah- He looked at the baby
And so too the boss who could not speak English
Yet informed me that he owned three other places
He also liked the baby - Bella Bambino!
- - - - -
And so we sat in shadow and shade
Under the archway old
Drinking aqua frizzante
More expensive than our wine
We ate and spoke of owning a place here
And seeing out four seasons
- - - - -
So I laughed and listened
To the children alive
With possibilities brimming
About the Tuscan dream
As one should, as one does
On a summers day
- - - - - -
I sat back, looked at the baby
And caught the waiters eye
He was looking at me directly
Smiling quietly
And then he spoke without words
And asked the fatal question
- - - - -
Sadly I glanced in return
Caught totally unaware
And answered gaze to gaze
Again without words
If only, I said
If only...