Left My Heart in the Holy City – Original Poem

By Mark A. Leon

I left my heart in the Holy City

The spirits draw me in with the sweet song of the streets
Cobblestone roads and the gallop of horses in the distance
She romances me with her palate
Serenades with the wind whistling off the Palmettos

With a cocktail on the rooftop we toast the sunset
A breathtaking theatrical performance
With a wink from the moon, the evening sweeps you off your feet

Left my heart in the Holy City
Fair Charleston, the jewel of the South
A present to be unwrapped filled with magic and surprise

The tower bells ring, ushering in a new hour; a new adventure
Let her Southern warmth cascade the senses
A steamy night awaits filled with passion

With a secret smile and a courtesy bow, a gentleman woes the Southern Belle
Tradition alive and well in the Holy City

Plantations showered with flowers
Prominence and power
Tradition so sincere

In the garden, a maiden awaits her place
Resting under the shade of the tree
Born the fairer being
Destined to grace

Left my heart in the Holy City
So, proud, under the flag of Sumter
Free as the waterways out of the Harbor

Church steeples dance
Ghosts sway under the hot sun
A celebration of sin and charm

Now I rest under this Southern sky for tomorrow I will leave my heart in this Holy City