A United States Air Force veteran, poet, and advocate for social justice, Jessica Ursell lives with her husband in the cradle of the Campi Flegrei in Southern Italy. Inspired by the cerulean sea, and strong scent of espresso at her favorite pasticceria, Jessica writes about love, power, finding one’s voice, and the mesmeric magic of il bel paese. Her latest poem, I Can Walk Through Walls of Words, appears in Academy of the Heart and Mind on 14 December 2024. Her poems and essays have been published by Writing in a Woman’s Voice; Ritualwell; Down in the Dirt magazine (v. 216 Scars Publications) as well as in the book, The Limits of Language, and the book Where Icarus Went; Fellowship & Fairydust; The Jewish Writing Project; and Iron Words: Israel War Stories.
pressed close
amongst the
cacophonous crush
customers
in a Catania cafe
craving coffee
calling for shots
un espresso ristretto
a necessary jolt
commences morning
un cornetto con crema
per favore
the bar is too crowded
for him to see her
but his refined Italian ear
hears her American accented request
repeated in English
a croissant with cream please
he thinks to himself
che bella voce
her ricotta cheese English
fresh grainy crumbles
slightly sweet
hints of sun-dappled mornings
and crisp cotton sheets
Poetry in this post: © Jessica Ursell
Published with the permission of Jessica Ursell