Two Gentlemen of Verona

By luigi_pagano

Sun, 19 May 2019
  • 1724 reads
8 comments
 
They both hail from Verona
but now one lives in Milano.
A nouveau rich 'industrialist'
goes by the name of Ivano.
 
Everyone shows him respect
and call him by the title Don.
Payment for his protection
is essential, a sine qua non.
 
The owner of an Alfa Romeo,
a 5-door hatchback Giulietta,
believes he's been slighted
and he's intent on vendetta.
 
He's determined that his rival
will not at all costs be excused
for not accepting a generous
offer that cannot be refused.
 
With contradictions between
his public and private persona,
the other one is no gentleman
even if he comes from Verona.
 
The mortal enemy of the Don
(and a former fellow citizen)
of the beautiful island of Sicily
he is a menacing denizen.
 
The two powerful antagonists
have never seen eye to eye
and it looks almost inevitable
that either or both will die,
 
One thing can be certainly said:
because they're part of the mob
neither of the two can ever be
a Juliet's chosen heart-throb.

 

© Luigi Pagano 2019
Certificate U
Poem
Are you being versed?
Humour
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by airyfairy on

You're right, Luigi - no Juliet would want to get involved with those two. There's an intriguing longer story in this poem!

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Thanks for your feedback, Jane.
There is a limit to how much can be said in a poem. I wanted to portray the animosity of the Montague and Capulet in a modern environment but perhaps this theme could be expanded in a piece of prose.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by forest_for_ever on

I played Sir Eglamore in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.  Glad I never came up aginst these two characters.  I agree with airyfairy  there's a longer story to be had here.

Loved the poem

forest

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Hi Graham, amateur dramatics was one of my hobbies and I took part in several productions in my younger days but Shakespeare was out of our league although we manage to include Eugene O'Neil in our repertoire.
So I take my hat off to you for having scaled such heights.
The suggestion about a longer story is something to consider; we'll see.

Cheers, Luigi

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

You draw the picture of the stupidity of such pointless animosity! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Unfortunately, animosity - no matter how trivial it seems - has a tendency to develop into conflict with dangerous consequences.
Thanks for reading and commenting, Rhiannon.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Before I read the above comments, as I was reading I could definitely see a longer story coming from this well put together poem. 

Well done Luigi.

Jenny. xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You put me on the spot, Jenny. Now I have to think seriously of concocting a longer story. I shall have to put my thinking cap on. Anyway, I am glad you like the appetizer, thanks.

Luigi xx