Seven hills

DRIVE from Ostia, carefullY,
EAST, cautiously through the manic traffic, A
ROMA, the seven-hilled city. Drive to Palatine, the
FIFTH of them. Fifth, according to some sources.

Arch of Constantine and Palatine Hill

Faust in His Lab

AROMA stew in lab whiffs of alchemist’s pursuit,
FIFTH element or philosopher’s stone the quest.
DRIVE for new techne to tame and harness like
YEAST for bakers. Yet Faust aims not for bread.

Yeast

AROMA slinks around like someone escaping a crowded room, but the
DRIVE to capture possesses everyone exposed to it, even the
FIFTH or sixth passerby each minute cannot resist the exhaust from YEAST working its way through the dough.

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The purloiner

QUELL, how do I quell my feelings about the thief who’s
TAKEN not just the vinyl off my floor, but the
VINYL out of the kitchen cupboards. It was a sheer
FLUKE that I put on my glasses and noticed all this purloining.

The Old Man on the Boat

FLUKE of anchor glints back sun from A&R man’s yacht .
VINYL made him, his sense for sound. Digital will now
QUELL his streak. Hip hop bravado will have
TAKEN over songs. He will brood as waves rock the boat.

George and Gracie

VINYL nor digital can convey the haunting, melancholy beauty coursing through the ocean currents, shivering from face to

FLUKE, reaching out through the orca-orbits for the comfort of companionship, mournful melodies

TAKEN from the sunless depths to the drums’ rhythm set by percussive breaches at the surface.

QUELL your un-wonder in the salty waters where gentle giants mesmerize with their massive, yet gentle, majesty.

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Least Encumbered Moment

CREST of hill beckons up above, in the air and light beyond,
PRIZE for my labored trek up, begun down-hearted, trailing
MONTH of vexation and scarce attention, yet now,
LEAST encumbered moment, remembering it all can be set aside.

Siege

CREST of the boar-helm shimmers gold:
PRIZE from the then-enemy, now chariot-cargo.
MONTHs turned into years as the siege bore on, but the
LEAST of these walls shield twenty more just like him.

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