Cincia's roots

late this sunlit afternoon i passed Cincia,
a lovely good heart with long hair,
half owner of the vintage clothing shop
across the way on this old narrow lane.

“The metal discs of the street cleaner
yesterday nearly tore into the vine.”
checking we saw the stem unscathed.
“In spring it blooms full and beautiful,” she said.

one cobblestone removed, so it grows by the wall,
swings high, arching over the entire doorway.
she planted roots when they opened there.
“was that three years ago?”

looking up at the vine contently,
“It has now been six years,” she said,
i said softly, “Time does pass.”
nodding with a soft smile she said, “It runs.”