Mona Lisa's smile

Everyone wants to know

Why Mona Lisa's smiling so

Leonardo had a hard time getting his model

Lisa Giocondo, to sit still

Yet he wanted her to have a fresh expression, so he told her,

"Think about the best time you had last summer"

"Leonardo, you know it was a bummer."

(Lisa was from a wealthy family and her helicopter mom prevented her from

flirting until she was 18.)

"Didn't you go swimming all the time?" asked the great Maestro

                    In 1504 Florentine  life guards were rare

                    Nevertheless, swimming in the Arno brought out the latest Renaissance 

                      Beachwear

                    Only dangers lurked in those dark waters as even today

                    Swimmers don't always come up for air.

                    A ban in 1498 forbade swimming after 8

                    Lifeguards, or in those days in Italian, 

                    "Vigile di bagnigno di vita celeste"

                    Were few

                    But with the backing of the Medicis, the laws were enforced

                    Making swimming almost taboo.

"Of course I did, Leonardo!" she replied, her subtle smile permeating her gentle face

Her memories shifted to that July evening, at 9:05, when she came out of the cool river from

a dip. Many were getting arrested due to the late hour, yet she managed to slip past the guards,

turning, she gave them the "cornuto" and ran home.