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