Vittoria Repetto
POEM AFTER THE DEATH OF DAD’S GIRLFRIEND
my father and i are alone together
with marilyn dead
who will calm us down
after a fight
one by one on the phone
who will tell me
he cried
when he read the poem i sent him
with marilyn gone
no one to cook for
he brings me minestrone and
swiss chard pie
saying
he dreamt i was hungry
my father and i are together
and alone with each other.
—from Rattle #20, Winter 2003
Tribute to Italian Poets