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