How can I describe someone
like Philip.
Where can I start.
First I watched.
Then I listened.
Then I turned my back and
walked away.

He came later to find
me
dressed in a grey gabardine
coat with a lavender silk scarf
round his neck.
What a sight
when I opened the door.

Breathtaking beauty I had
never the likes seen.
We discussed my work.
It had good possibilities
but needed to be
finished he said.
He gave me a gay friendly
kiss as he departed.
Little did I expect it.

I returned to my work.
Three days later he left.
His last evening he
asked me to wait
for him.
We made love.
It was hard for me.
I felt like an intruding
stranger.

Within three days I
received a letter
urging me to come at
once to Venice.
I arranged a flight
And left with fear
and excitement
never having experienced
the feelings that
drove me to his side.

I arrived,
checked my bag
and looked anxiously
about.
He was not even there
to meet me.
I waited
5 minutes,
ten.
Then through the
door I saw him
come.
The evening passed,
the morning came.
I knew no longer who I
was.

Venice,
breathtaking.
Bewitched,
lulled by its
quiet waters.
Awake at night.
The restaurants,
Harry’s Bar,
The theater,
The art,
The artists.
A mirage of excitement,
too much to
assimilate.

Our walks together,
our talks,
breakfast,
cigarettes,
dinners,
Champagne with strawberries,
our love.

One year passed without
notice
with life full
of stress,
pain,
joy.

From the Costa D’Azzurro,
to Grasse,
St. Paul Du Vance,
Mirimma, Torino,
Sabaudia, Firenze,
Spoleto, Bologna, Roma,
to heaven and hell
On trains, on boats,
in
cars, in hotels.
With two bags,
paper, pens and
paints.

Then nothing!
The time had passed too
swiftly.
The joy had been too great……….