My mother always ordered martinis
with extra olives that she would
pull out of the gin, slide off the
plastic or wooden spear and hand to me.
Some days I could feel the
disapproving stares around us.
Gin often dripped onto the table
and dribbled into my mouth
as I devoured each green olive,
my favorite food.
Admittedly, when I felt the stares
I deliberately licked the
olive before popping it into
my mouth, sure I had horrified
someone whose opinion
did not matter.
I never did develop
a taste for gin.
I drank wine, sherry, scotch,
vermouth, Campari—no
pretentiousness, just preference
until my migraines decided
all alcohol was a trigger.
After marriage my husband
became the one presenting me
with olive apertifs.
Recently he switched from
gin to vodka, but I don’t mind.
As in childhood,
the only alcohol that slips
my lips is what I lick
off olives. I don’t mind, for
it’s the olives I love.
Inverted triangle glasses
are simply vehicles for serving
olives and their delicious,
briny taste of love.
Both my mother and my husband also like olives, but they love me more.--Joan Leotta
.jpg)
Joan Leotta
Author, Story Performer
“Encouraging words through Pen and Performance”
Nominated for Pushcart and Best of Net in 2022
"Feathers on Stone" poetry chapbook available from me and at
https://mainstreetragbookstore.com/product/feathers-on-stone-joan-leotta/
Other Joan Leotta Books
Languid Lusciousness with Lemon, Finishing Line Press (Amazon)
Morning by Morning and Dancing Under the Moon, two free mini-chapbooks are at https://www.origamipoems.com/poets/257-joan-leotta
with extra olives that she would
pull out of the gin, slide off the
plastic or wooden spear and hand to me.
Some days I could feel the
disapproving stares around us.
Gin often dripped onto the table
and dribbled into my mouth
as I devoured each green olive,
my favorite food.
Admittedly, when I felt the stares
I deliberately licked the
olive before popping it into
my mouth, sure I had horrified
someone whose opinion
did not matter.
I never did develop
a taste for gin.
I drank wine, sherry, scotch,
vermouth, Campari—no
pretentiousness, just preference
until my migraines decided
all alcohol was a trigger.
After marriage my husband
became the one presenting me
with olive apertifs.
Recently he switched from
gin to vodka, but I don’t mind.
As in childhood,
the only alcohol that slips
my lips is what I lick
off olives. I don’t mind, for
it’s the olives I love.
Inverted triangle glasses
are simply vehicles for serving
olives and their delicious,
briny taste of love.
Both my mother and my husband also like olives, but they love me more.--Joan Leotta
.jpg)
Joan Leotta
Author, Story Performer
“Encouraging words through Pen and Performance”
Nominated for Pushcart and Best of Net in 2022
"Feathers on Stone" poetry chapbook available from me and at
https://mainstreetragbookstore.com/product/feathers-on-stone-joan-leotta/
Other Joan Leotta Books
Languid Lusciousness with Lemon, Finishing Line Press (Amazon)
Morning by Morning and Dancing Under the Moon, two free mini-chapbooks are at https://www.origamipoems.com/poets/257-joan-leotta
.jpg)
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