firenze

Traveling alone in florence days before my friends wedding, alone and under slept

After nights awake on cocaine and flights

I finally land in the sunshiney breeze of the city

The bridges the river the old town the setting sun

I wander and sleep for a day

Moving hotels twice

I stumble back out onto the streets

And into a plaza in the afternoon sun

A celebration is taking place, a parade of sorts, old people dressed like knights

Young people, red faces, beers in hands

An old pastime, recreated anew

I'm mesmerized by the chants and flags

I go home to the hotel to rest, thinking I'll catch it later at its destination in another plaza

I get caught up in my tiredness

And lose track of time and miss it

And nearly cry

And wander some more

Until i walk down an alleyway where a girl is playing cello and stop for a minute 

I finally come to a rest

I drop a few heavy euro coins into her pouch

And tell her it's beautiful

She smiles and thanks me and plays her next song

I stand against the wall

A man sits with an open wine bottle next to me in a plastic bag

A girl with tattoos looks on

She finishes her piece

As it echoes around the stones

She packs up her things

As the alleyway grows dark

I look back as she passes out of view

And i move on too

Spirits buyoued

Somewhere

A soccer game is about to start