Oculus

I choose not to think too much of Brescia

It held out against the Venetians,
pushed them back to the Mediterranean Sea.
But Brescia could not resist the temptations of industry
Roman columns now in the shadows of foundries.

Romantic, yes
but even after one month
there's still so much fear when walking down the street
gypsies and illegals with urchins and
scarves and sunglasses and Prada lined up to inspect.
I was afraid to bend and touch
but it did not matter,
there were too many eyes searching,
undressing.

Great cloudbursts and thunder rolls
washed away the grime and dog shit
blew the crowds from their café umbrellas
and pushed the men from their corner orgy smokes
And then in my tan raincoat
the one Velia disliked for being too 'military'
I could walk and feel at peace
from the bus stop to the piazza of the duomo
eyed by children through slatted shutters and flower filled window boxes.

Unheeded I entered the cathedral and seated myself
in the cool center pew
and in the dimness watched pigeon feathers fall from the dome.