It’s
parapets and towers peer down imposingly and I stare back,
wondering, imagining
the
lives of those that walked upon its cobbled streets.
Unlike
those I see in front of me,
with
their gadgetry and always-connected technology,
forgetful
of the past as they embrace a bold future, fraught with the dangers of old.
Hatred,
bigotry, jealousy and greed
walk
the streets in their pinstripe suits, their armour.
Strutting
painted ladies attracting suitors and glances of envy,
wander
like the harlots and queens of a long forgotten time.
Everything
around me,
every
little thing,
reminds
me of the rise and fall of civilizations,
charging
to ruin,
chasing
disaster at every turn,
ignoring
the lessons of the past.
And
yet we stumble along blindly,
distracted,
as I
am.
And
once again my eyes rise up to the splendour on the horizon,
and I
draw breath and briefly close my eyes,
just
for a second.
Out
of the corner of my eye I see the flickering colours change
and I
bear down hard on the beast at my feet,
re-engage,
and
focus on the road that lies in front of me.
©
Fergus Martin
2012
nicely written
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