Venice-Abridged Poem by Stephen Brian Brady

Hoist the 'Jolly Roger' boys
accordianate a tune
treasure-ships with plunder
are crowding the lagoon

was it only yesterday
or maybe the day before
someone turning off the lights
hesitated as they closed the door

and gondoliers go gondoleering
under the 'Bridge of Sighs'
they're churning-up the waters
on their fairground rides

did reluctant footsteps
to their caravanserai
set the great bells tolling
'farewell' across the sky

after the pyrotechnics
there's never much to say
in the dark with muted voices
as you slowly move away
we ignite uncertain fuses
to what's left along the walls
and but for occasional splutterings
there's nothing there at all

it's cruise-control
for those weary souls
with a tour-guide blase
in single-file they've ditched their smiles
but they did the town in a day.