Naxos in April

by Tim Suermondt

Gray and blue and beautiful, the night
of perfect possibilities is here.
The man wipes his shoes
for some last minute spit and polish.
He can see a pair of sailors
dancing wildly on the white tables
outside the PAN tavern.
He can sense that any moment
Theresa will appear in her red dress
capable of setting the village on fire,
that is if all the men are lucky.
He gets into his shoes, tugs
at his socks and feels his fingertips
burn. Tonight, Aphrodite is on his side.