"I'll do the old dump in a day," <br />He told me in his brittle way. <br />"Two more, I guess, I'll give to Rome <br />Before I hit the trail for home; <br />But while I'm there I kindo' hope <br />To have an audience with the Pope." <br /> <br />We stood upon the terraced height <br />With sunny Florence in our sight. <br />I gazed and gazed, too moved to speak <br />Until he queried: "What's that creek?" <br />"The Arno, sir," I said surprised; <br />He stared at it with empty eyes. <br /> <br />"It is," said I, "the storied stream <br />Where Dante used to pace and dream, <br />And wait for Beatrice to pass." <br />(Oh how I felt a silly ass <br />Explaining this.) With eyes remote <br />He asked: "Was Beatrice a boat?" <br /> <br />Then tranced by far Fiesole <br />Softly I sought to steal away; <br />But his adhesiveness was grim, <br />I could not pry apart from him: <br />And so in our hotel-ward walk <br />Meekly I listened to his talk. <br /> <br />"Bologna! Say, the lunch was swell; <br />Them wops know how to feed you well. <br />Verona! There I met a blonde" <br />Oh how that baby could respond! <br />Siena! That's the old burg where <br />We soused on Asti in the square. <br /> <br />"Antiquity! Why, that's the bunk - <br />Statues and all that mouldy junk <br />Will never get you anywhere . . . <br />My line is ladies' underware, <br />And better than a dozen Dantes <br />Is something cute in female scanties. . . . <br /> <br />"One day in Florence is too small <br />You think, maybe, to see it all. <br />Well, it don't matter what you've seen - <br />The thing is: you can say you've been."<br /><br />Robert William Service<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/florentine-pilgrim/
