THROWBACK THURSDAY: MASTERPIECE #1176 (3/23/15)

That cat has had it with your nonsense.

/// Three Romans dine in an osteria.
They watch someone enter their area.
One girl flirts, sipping wine.
Sis agrees he looks fine.
The angry man’s close to hysteria.

/// He’s in love with the flirt; can’t resist her.
But they’re dining with her married sister.
In his pocket’s a knife
and he’ll threaten the life
of this man coming in who once kissed her.

/// Her gold rings and that cloth on her head
show the girl on the left is now wed.
Her young sister’s still single,
and with men cannot mingle
so she’ll chaperone while getting fed.

/// Rocco’s known for his fiery emotion.
To Maria he’s pledged his devotion.
So, sis Giulia now planned,
with her fork in her hand,
to jab Rocco if there’s a commotion.

/// Rocco’s anger had quickly increased.
Viewed the man coming in as a beast.
With good looks he’d been graced,
but that kiss had been chaste
on Maria’s cheek; he is her priest.

/// Giulia spoke up to calm Rocco down.
Pointed out Father’s priestly black gown.
An assault was averted,
but Maria still flirted.
Rocco wears a perpetual frown.

/// No doubt, Rocco would burn with disgrace,
if a napkin should shade Giulia’s face.
Though it looks like one, yet,
that is no serviette.
It’s just headgear from that time and place.

/// It was worn so no woman got harried
by a man thinking she wasn’t married.
That cloth means: “Pass me by.
I am wed to a guy.”
Like her rings or the baby she carried.

/// You should check very carefully when you
go to dine at a food-service venue.
What they serve may distress.
Look behind Giulia’s dress.
There it sits; it’s a cat on the menu.