Sparkling Eyes

the expression of love

SPARKLING EYES 

Photo by mahsa shamshiri fard on Unsplash

Hot Bellino’s pizza with Italian sausage
Mouthwatering on a Thursday night
Ice cold soda to wash it down
The fizz tickles my throat.

The smell of Calabria fills the kitchen
Romano and mozzarella cheese stick to my chin
Olive oil coats the crisp crust
Salty as the Mediterranean sea.

The flavors combine perfectly
To satisfy my late afternoon hunger
Bringing back memories of my grandmother
Wearing her homemade apron.

Good food was an expression of love
Breakfast made for a queen
With thick hotcakes and warm maple syrup
Sitting at the table, we shared our lives.

Licking sticky fingers
I sipped coffee boiled in an enamel pot
The coffee made me feel like an adult
Listening to the latest family gossip.

To this day, coffee represents that bond
The sacred elixir that baptized us,
Me, my grandmother and my uncle,
Preparing us to brave the Winter weather.

They have been gone for decades
But I can hear their voices in my mind,
Recall the laughter and the stories,
Delivered with sparkling eyes.
©2026 Stephanie M. Vargo