Hello. I`ve been living in Gozo for the past 10 months while writing a book. I`m finally returning to the US at the end of this month after my memorable stay, and I`d like to dedicate a poem to my Maltese and Gozitan friends before I leave.

Cocktail
inspired by one of the many times I was at Black Jack

The iridescent cherry
Of my peach vodka and water (no ice)
Tickles my throat
Like my crush
Who taunts me not with scarlet, but with green for `go`
And subtle caresses pushing me to and fro
But in the end
Not adding to my drunkenness
Being tonight, he is alcohol free
Although, I certainly have had a few
And that few are enough
To make my slightly secret desires
Improve my imagination
So that I perceive and
Interpret to the extreme.

A small touch -
A sign of utter affection
A solemn expression -
My complete despair.
Ah! How childish I am
Letting my emotions affect me
Like those weaklings` tolerance I despise.

Fortunately even after the cherry
The artificial peach flavour
Remains on my tainted lips
So that I may cherish
Over and over
With a slight gloss of my tongue
What is no longer there.

He won`t be mine tonight
Just like the peach I didn`t eat
And watered down to that effect
For I am afraid
To perceive lashes as advances
The concentration overwhelming my balance
And worse yet to miss his disappearance
Into the night with another
Boy, what a horrible thought!

Too late
As it always is
I`ve embarrassed myself
Compromised my dignity
By showing I care too much.
And now he backs away
Like my empty glass
Reflecting how I drank too quickly...
Greedily.

Ah, I sigh
The vodka rarely stings
But tonight, what pain it brings.
A stabbing in my chest
As the warmth dissipates -
My head hot with useless fervour
And ice water an insufficient rescue.