Photo by my late son Scott Tucker
This poem was inspired by my Grandma Doc’s (Dr. Waterhouse Smith) tales of traveling to Europe and the Greek Islands in the 1920’s. Grandma also kept diarys of her steamship travels in the 1920’s!
Karystos
Soft breezes
And the chatter of Greek tongues
Slip through my open window
As Karystos bay awakens
With the kiss of mornings sun
Lingering
Over cheese and fruit
I wash and dress
Ready for Karystos loveliness;
To climb time washed steps,
To feel the sun upon my breasts.
As ships
From foreign ports
Sail along the crystal bay,
High noon tides press against
Karystos lips and mine
Wetting us with salty spray.
Like a lover
I toast you with your own wine.
Over and over I savor
The taste of you as I walk
Beneath olive trees
And blossoming grape vines.
Tell me Karystos
Just how much more pleasure
Could there ever be
Tan what lies between
Your silk blue skys
And sparkling island sea?
Poetry on Wings 