my God why didn’t I stay
a child bound to earth
growing nests of potatoes
stirring polenta at sunset
the greedy city gates swallowed me
from head to toes
with the knapsack woven by my ancestors
for such a long time
I wandered in resoled shoes
year after year at Annunciation
in my jacket sewn with white yarn
on its lining

shop dummies were smiling at night
with a starry air
under colored neon lights like candy
with powdered glossy wigs
like carnival cotton sugar
changing clothes and heads every season

one day I picked five bucks in the street
no one was near apart from the wind
slamming the flower kiosk at the corner
another day I found five bucks in my balcony
I crossed myself with my right hand
because I couldn’t find the owner
it was a sunny Sunday

in the pantry stuffed with old insomnia
I took a walk around the mountain of salt
from all my ancient tears
searching for wisdom
sticking my sweaty front towards North
knocking as if it were the Wailing Wall
while men were breaking down as usual
champagne filled glasses
acrobatic pyramids
card castles with the ace of spades for foundation

they light fireworks once a month in this city
I’m keeping in my palm a three grams gold heart
hanging on a thin thread
which I will never pawn