A Venetian Sonnet

Before going to Venice, I had this sentimental expectation that Jim and I would find a secluded spot and dance to a band under the moonlight. I mentioned this to Jim and he looked at me like he was going to laugh. "Where's your romance?" I asked feeling a bit disappointed that he didn't share my vision.

After arriving in Venice we took a boat down the main canal to Saint Mark's Cathedral. On the boat there was an elderly Italian man. We talked to each other and he said to me, "I love Venice," and put his hand to his heart. As I looked at Venice for the first time, I could see why he loved this city.
From Saint Mark's Cathedral we strolled through the streets of Venice. We stopped on a small bridge to watch the gondola tour boats lined up like a Disneyland ride. The boats wound around the side canals and under our bridge. The tourists inside were drinking wine and taking photos. One gondola guide was singing opera at the top of his lungs as he stood in the back of the boat wearing a traditional black and white striped shirt pushing his long gondola ore through the water. That was impressive. It made Jim and I smile.
We heard a few bands playing in the distance. One song I heard over and over in Italy was the Frank Sinatra song, "I Did It My Way". Near the end of our walking, we found a lonely piazza near the water. There was a band playing in the distance. I said, "Let's dance". Then I realized how silly the idea was. Neither of us knows how to dance. Instead, Jim read me this poem he wrote,

My Venetian Sonnet
To Kimber my love. Venice September 16, 2010

Some say romance is not my forte
They must be silly is what I say
Romance like life is full of surprises
Sunsets in the evening and morning sunrises
All plants and flowers grow so slow
It’s nearly impossible to really know
My love like flowers began to bloom
When you entered my heart like a room
To me romance was always pish posh
But now I frequently think o my gosh!
What would I do if my kimber were gone?
My heart would fail under weight of 10 ton
You are my life my wind and my wings
You make my winter turn into springs
I love you dear Kimber in Venice or home
In a gondola, the kitchen or Rome
It does not matter where we are
As long as I am with you romance is thar
Romance is a word that still means nothing to me
But Kimber dear Kimber sets my heart free.
Its not romance but Kimber I crave
To be near me and love me long past the grave
Dear Kimber I count each day as the best
As long as I am with you my heart is at rest
So romance can ebb and flow like the tide
I’ll sit here in Venice next to my bride
My heart is content my love pure
And romance yes romance can eat cow manure

Cute. Very cute. It made me smile. Then we took our own picture.
**Our hotel in Venice, Hotel Santa Chiara. Restaurant, Ristorante Da Nino.