as she was singing for my father at night
he felt the potential
encouraging and pushing her
driving her to become professional singer

his father asked him not to marry her
her skin was too dark

she became big star of the 60’s and 70’s

25 years later
the record company publishes
three-cd anthology of her music

interviews on tv
her songs again on the radio
articles in the newspapers
with photos in her twenties
looking exactly like my girlfriend

few years later
met my italian singer
feeling her potential deep inside my body
her voice dances with her looks
her lyrics choreographed with her music

encouraging and pushing her
driving with her in the being
of professional singing

like father like son

(If you’d like to see what the Italian singer
from the poem looks like and to listen to her
music go to www.IreneMastrangeli.com)

© 2002. All Rights Reserved.
Zemach Zohar Wilson, New York City, April 2002