Pizza at Martinni's

What could be more natural

in this high Andean city

with its cobblestone streets,

open-air markets, and cacophony

of languages than pizza

at Martinni’s? Pizza, the ubiquitous

nourishment much modified

from its Mediterranean origins,

accompanied, of course, by another

universal—Coca Cola. This is true

comfort food, reassuring us

that wherever we wander

this spinning globe, in the heart

of things we are at home,

part of the family of man.

We relax into our meal while

Señor Martinni tosses and spins

the circles of dough. Later we walk

up Santa Cruz Street to our apartment.

Above the traffic lights and neon

signs, glitter the invisible

ever-present stars.