For Ralph and Uschi

Ralph, I promised you a line
What a pity I cannot make it trail through the air
Like your Havana.
Even a bi-plane could not string the sign
I want to write.
And then you asked for two,
One for Luck you said,
The other for Love.
Well if Love is passion
Then thank you for the second line,
For without passion what is Luck.

And Uschi, you flit
About the uncultured streets of Sissi
Like Cleopatra above the mob,
So beautiful that I am envious.
And I know Ralph spends his time
Writing second lines
For you.

Who would have thought that
Over a bottle of Jim Beam
We would meet in such a place,
Luck!

I slipped into your space
For no more than a sip
And tasted warm kumquats
On the lips of a Matador.
Passion!

(Sissi is a small fishing village in Crete)