ITALIAN

i

I wish I had been born in an Italian movie,
standing on a street corner in a red dress
with a slit up the side,
or a striped halter top, turquoise and white,
with a straight skirt and sling-back shoes.

ii

I always wanted to go to Venice,
streets made of water
and gondoliers who sing,
while you watch the sky drift past
as it did against childhood’s grass,
so green.
I always wanted to go to Italy
where the gondoliers sing,
where the gondoliers sing.