| Piazza Santa Maria As all old and ugly shoulder off to a dark corner through the nearest alley, As I young and ugly - or thinking to myself thoughts too beautiful - Stake my place in the sun by a fountain Pretending to be seen Pretending to not see, There is a swiftness around me Around the square a light air blows To knock dust off of corners To blind old ladies with the dust At night the street will sparkle - only a reflected dimness from lamps and citronella candles The beautiful will be beautiful in dim light Or become black long-haired shadows Under bar lamps And the ugly will be beautiful in the flash of the fire juggler and the soft still hum of the street Quiet, quiet - under the clicking of heels and laughter The fountain will swell to the loudest heartbeat And fade and break With the emptying of the square at morning. |