Croatia

[YRKB]

Croatia,
The underrated,
sparkling
little paradise -
peeking out at Italy's side
last summer.
I remember you telling your Aunt,
two nights before we were going
at the table -
about Croatia.
You sold it,
she said she'd look it up
- and you said,
don't bother -
book it.
Book it;
and run.

I don't know when -
or quite how,
Croatia
became your jewel in the crown -
but you were so sure
Croatia -
understated -
picturesque,
well placed
Croatia;
would make you -
though, yes,
you did say
'us';
so wonderfully content.

I just...
couldn't
have faith in...
Croatia.
Or your newfound love of nature;
the sudden
soft,
sun-starved, kiddish,
earth man
you'd become.
I knew your flaws,
oven fresh -
as one might say,
and that
Croatia,
was your glorified,
guilty escape
spelling end to a snide,
spiteful
unanswered
and antagonistic
bastard cruelty
you toyed with
for months
that, frankly,
I balked at letting you so easily forget.

It may have been work,
like you'd said,
it may have been you just...
fell out of love
for a bit...

Whatever it was,
made me loathe
Croatia.

So we packed our suitcase, and
that morning -
though
I hesitated at your waking smile;
I said -
I told you;
I was taking mine to my sister's.
An hour's drive away-
in Carshalton.

Yafeu-Khamisi Rodway-Brown

[qimissung]

Very nice end-of-the-relationship, poem, YKRB. The whole thing has a slightly bitter, acerbic tone which contrasts nicely with the enthusiasm for and glories of Croatia.