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.