1.8 million:
the years laurel has lived here
giving life to all
enchanted forest:
the only words to describe
Madeira’s true gold
traditional homes
give homage to these laurels
simple thatched roofs
a magical place
waits for you on this island
hidden in the sea
this Funchal art walk
makes me miss my young artists
at home without us
yet we must adjust
with the empty nest so close
i can feel its grip
this trip is a test
to see what “just us” feels like—
we’re on sold ground
ten thousand stone steps
slippery at dawn, at noon
as mist never stops
ten thousand reasons
to be afraid of this hike,
yet we keep trekking
ten thousand peak views
all in different shades of light
just like our marriage
ten thousand questions
when we married at twenty
look how far we’ve come
enchanted lava
creates unique swimming pools
otherworldly
infinity pools
so twenty-first century
simply don’t compare
an intense hike day
with a mid-Atlantic dip
in the midst of love
a cafe awaits
in the midst of all trails here
Tarta de Nata!!
afternoon beach time
cheap to rent umbrella, chairs
on Moroccan sand
stressful travel day
of planes, trains, automobiles,
worrisome charges
Madeira calms us
with its volcanic beauty,
nice people, great fish
everyone loves pies
especially my “sailor”
sailing in England
his dream, to be here
honoring Admiral Nelson
at pub built for him
the travel bug bites
a little later for some
(i’m glad it but him)
sometimes all you need
is a dish you’ve never tried
to spice up the bed
Nelson rests his soul
at London’s tourist heart
in Trafalgar Square
unobstructed views
of the man, the miracle
he finally saw it
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