The Pavers On Our Road


Did I dream your face as well as this city?
Or was it only the sky that I saw?
Vastly black, but illuminated by the stars enough
To see the blackness of the rooftop lovers outlined
Oh Romulus, you never saw me did you?
In the moving pictures of your mind
Painted in a renaissance splendor with fading frames
Like seeing ‘La Dolce Vita’ in colour- I still recall the theme song
Did I walk the pavers on our road one step in front?
Crossing the bridges over the river polluted
Cigarette and a slight beard raising the pulse
Like a glass of red wine raised to salute insatiable love
Or was it you Romulus, who was one step behind?
Thinking of your name-sake and his mother
Drawing on this strength, and the strength of Rome herself
Drawing on the ancient Roman pulse that can conquer as fast as it can fall
The pavers of our road were ancient
Walked over by many lovers and soldiers before
This time it was our turn, slowly and quietly
It could have been the dream of one your Saints
Sebastian, would he have dreamt of us?
Christopher, Peter, Joseph?
Or maybe it was the pagan gods
Did the slumber of Bacchus conjure us?
Did Apollo’s sleepy vision entwine our youthful limbs?
I think I must have dreamt the silent walk of you Romulus
You, with your hand in mine, in the darkness and light
To my bed with white sheets
For you have gone and I can’t remember your face as it was
Only the smell of cigarettes and a few Italian words
And the shadow of a young man walking slowly behind me
Over the pavements on our road

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