between time

afternoon turning evening

twilight quiet January damp

meet  Mauro in the covered pass

beyond the Buddhist church

under twin aged stone arches

to him my email with  parting wishes

as he heads to the south pacific

on a  quest to find his way

then campo dei fiori nearly empty

this cobblestone field of flowers

when a  friend of twenty years stops. 

we exchange new year greetings

good words,  good minutes between us

always satisfying is our exchange

never knew each other’s names

but know a friend when we see one

then i see nico, he barely sees me

his  hearing also is wavering

one hundred years and counting, on this

street he was born and lives alone

somehow an empty city

bringing friends together briefly

passing in the light fading cool

of yet another winter late afternoon