Mount Vesuvius Poem by Shirley Harrison

A Pizza Margherita, please

with sauce made from the finest tomatoes
hand-picked today

chopped up in the pot by loving hands
boiled for two hours

the pizza base, shhhhh, that's a secret
every great pizzaiolo has his own

smothered generously with mozzarella di bufala
and a handful of the finest fresh basil


perfume fit for Queen Margherita herself

in the oven, for five minutes and

'eccola'

drizzle with the finest Italian olive oil
and now the eruption of delight on your palate

"Buon Appetito"