Poems written by Peter Gibbs over 60 years, inspired by romance, travel, the beauty of nature, emotions and family and friends - peterspoetry.co.uk
Isle of Oleander
Isle of oleander
Set in a crystal sea
Jacarandas blooming
June warmth in Sicily
Blooms of bougainvillea
Against a sun-bleached wall
Vines and cacti line abreast
'Neath palm trees standing tall
Pink and white hibiscus
Flowers of opulence
Adding to the chorus
Of stunning summer scents
Columns on a ridgeline
Temples to the gods
Pottery from BC
Still whole despite the odds
Scenes of hunts and feasting
Mosaics 'cross the floors
Preserved in Roman villa
Surviving countless wars
Tales of Montalbano
Town hall now TV set
Seaside house a stand-in
As hero’s home vignette
Towns defying earthquakes
Cathedrals of baroque
Gardens lush oases
From out the lava rock
Star-studded Taormina
In Etna's shadow stands
Looking boldly seawards
Across Messina lands
Within its walls a jewel
Where words and art combined
Museum pledged to Kitson
And Garbo here reclined
A haven for the famous
With stories now regaled
Art deco in a secret room
Forbidden love unveiled
Beneath a Norman tower
Above a foam-fringed beach
In shaded marble courtyard
A cool drink within reach
A hotel on a hillside
With balcony a view
Across Mediterranean
Through haze a misty blue.