Brindisi by Byron Beynon

The summer port of Brindisi

is full of tourist traffic,

where cautious police

with sniffer-dogs

watch back-packers

drift in and out

on a continuous ship of history

between east and west.

Here I walk the ancient

steps of Brindisium,

leading to the Boundary Columns

of the Appian Way,

near to where Virgil died.

I spend the evening

in the freshness of the piazza Cairoli,

watching middle-aged men

gather like pigeons.

They stand and gesticulate

at the sparkling Saturday girls,

accompanied by the cadenza of the fountain.

A durability of people, thought and place.

Byron Beynon lives in Swansea, Wales.  His work has appeared in several publications including Agenda, Poetry Wales, San Pedro River Review, London Magazine and Poetry Scotland. Also the anthology "In Protest" (150 poems for Human Rights) - recently published by the University of London and Keats House Poets.  Collections include The Sundial (Flutter Press), Human Shores (Lapwing Publications) and The Echoing Coastline (Agenda Editions)