She wished of him a lover's kiss and
nights of coupled twining
They laced themselves
between the trees
and to the water's edge.
Reminding her
the cratered moon lay light years away
he spoke of Greece, the Parthenon
and Cleopatra's barge.

She splayed her foot
up to the shin
within the ocean brine.

He quoted Pope and Bernard Shaw
and Catcher in the Rye.

Her sandal lost
she dried her toe
and then she mopped her brow.

Dry-eyed
she walked into her room and frankly told her mother
"Of all he said I understood,
he said he loved another."