POETRY: SPANISH TOWN

The old capitols one heap

of carefully preserved garbage

Georgian square

imposing facades

hiding

either dusty archive

the only records anywhere

of innumerable unnecessary

births marriages deaths

bills of sale for slaves and cattle

wills that enfranchised mulatto bastard

planted by drunk fathers among the canes

or nothing

The old city stretches out

from its dead centre

carved whitewashed fountain

pockethandkerchief park

to less formerly glorious

lower mounds of rubbish

dotted with modern trinkets

shiny plastic gasstations

carelessly discarded among open tombs

shattered chandeliers from ancient ballrooms