Roma è nel mio cuore e nell'anima

Here, eternal, strong,
it stands for all days;
as the marble crumbles
with time and age,
it yet again becomes part of the Earth.
Yet, there is an echo,
a faint, but constant vibration
in the heart of all mankind.
It is where we began;
where the real West was won;
where we learned to be civilized;
where we learned to war.
Beauty, wonder, art in true form;
preserved, yet surrounded by
a modern takeover, of sorts.
Here, a neon sign, obnoxiously lit.
There, a relic carved into
the facade of an ancient building:
the neon light playing off the relief.
Swarming with contradictions.
Tradition with new generations;
progress fighting against what has always been.
Rolling hills, steep cliffs, cobbled streets,
traffic moving in vein-like patterns;
yet peddlers roll out their wares by cart.
The city is alive - breathing, consuming.
We also feed on the ongoing busyness;
soaking in culture, freedom, and pride.
We are all successors; it is every one's.
See the beauty in it all;
the complexity and the simplicity.