“…or actually the absence of it.”
were the words reverberating on his mind.

Strangest part was he had, indeed, forgotten
his own rhyming pair, found only days ago.
Of course, he was now focusing on a completely different word,
not the original, but, despite the alluring strangeness of the terms implied,
with a twist attached to the counterpart of “cheminée”,
it had been her, again, who had reminded, crispy and spot on,
(even if she didn’t have to, among so many things she was busy with)
about the teasing exchange
(at that time she kept quiet seemingly not acknowledging it).

And even if no official fishes are to be found in the Chinese zodiac,
That doesn’t mean it’s true some aren’t secretly swimming,
Unseen by their own choice,
unlike the perfume molecules trapped inside a bottle of eau de cologne,
which only had one option:
To mingle together under the same fragrance.

As if the ghosts within abandoned Italian castles
Couldn’t as well enjoy the flesh of cold, sweet cherries.