When in Rome – get used to it
By Parson Thru
- 3285 reads
Street to street
Woman to man, they shout
And telephones
Face to face, they holler-out
And sociable, outgoing
I wonder if it’s me who’s antisocial, mean
No need of quiet?
Do they even have a word for peace?
No prima facie need of rest
They appear not to sleep
By the hours that they keep
It’s not so different from my youth
At walls and empty halls,
From the subversion of my solitude
From books and headphones
Keeping out of sight
We slept at night
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Comments
Italians!
The reason Italians shout and gesticulate a lot is because there is no way for them to ask a question in their language. It is all done by intonation. Are you going to the zoo? is You Are Going To The Zoo - upwards inflection, big shrug, wave of arms. It's what makes them the wonderful people they are.
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No need to sleep at night
No need to sleep at night when you can siesta during the day! I loved the nighttime culture when I was younger, Britain seemed so sterile. But I must admit a bit of peace and quiet on occasion is much needed. Well captured here.
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Very energetic, sounds
Very energetic, sounds exhausting.
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Pick of the Day
This excellent poem is our Pick of the Day.
Picture credit: http://tinyurl.com/hwvwuy6
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What a good pick. There you
What a good pick. There you go parsons - makes up for the lack of sleep!
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Hi Parson
Hi Parson
I enjoyed reading this and could identify with how you were feeling.
Jean
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I was always accused of being
I was always accused of being antisocial as a child, and until I left home - always in my room, reading, or playing my guitar, while everyone downstairs squabbled whilst watching tv. But as you say, they slept at night.
I love the way your poem passes the noise along a line of scenery, making it so easy to hear and visualise. There's something suitably operatic about it, until it folds tidily into your need for rest, comparing the activity around you to your own busy family life, - finding understanding, yet still astonished at the ability to go on into the night. I think siestas are great. They should incorporate one into the average working day.
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no need to sleep at night, if
no need to sleep at night, if you're a papal knight and some poor minon in hell is always tolling a bell.
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