Chasing Apollo: Poems from Rome

By Leah Bailey

"Rome is the city of echoes, the city of illusions, and the city of yearning."

-Giotto di Bondone, Renaissance Painter

 

Walk the streets of the eternal city with a modern traveler through ancient ruins. Each verse of Chasing Apollo is a step through, under and around the paths of R

• Language: English
• Publisher: Conscious Dreams Publishing
• Release date: Sep 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9781913674700

Book preview

Dedication

For my Aunt Mae, who painted pictures

of travel with her words.

Hopefully my words will paint pictures

she’d be proud of, now, and always.

Contents

Dedication

Chasing Apollo

Saturday 15th: Verses 1-17

Sunday 16th: Verses 18-62

Monday 17th: Verses 63-75

Tuesday 18th: Verses 76-110

Wednesday 19th: Verses 111-122

Thursday 20th: Verses 123-178

Vatican Museum: 123-139

Sistine Chapel: 140-147

St Peter’s Basilica: 148-155

Colosseum: 156-161

Palatine Hill: 162-169

Roman Forum: 170-176

Friday 21st: Verses 177-187

Riding Into Dawn

Within Walls

Overload of the Eternal

Plans Within Plans

Spirit of Nero

On the Seas of Time Travel

Acknowledgements

About the Author

Verse 1 – Sunrise from the plane

Chasing Apollo

1.

Chasing Apollo

early morning sky,

catching up dawn.

Chasing dreams of years ago,

strange reflection on a lake.

2.

Through doubled glass

Earth’s wrinkled face, bleached white,

channels run stark.

Worship-filled faces stare,

locked, awaiting time’s passage.

3.

Waiting driver,

glad of transition,

no stress.

Church, palace, all beyond,

all gated or walled.

4.

Reputation,

of Italian drivers

well earned.

Lanes, patterns, nebulous

at best, afterthought signals.

5.

Mythical lift of

double doors, metal lace,

shake as it rises.

Delighted laugh as I think,

‘I’m in an old film!’

6.

Check in, pay up,

a map given. Out with

determined panic.

Glad for wheeled luggage,

short walk.

7.

Another lift.

More modern, grey, small

built, negative space.

To the 5th floor

and the 3rd door, I have keys.

8.

Settle in, unpack…

more space than expected.

View from rear window,

St Peter’s Dome, sunlit.

Half a day yet to explore.

9.

Change clothes

from storm to sunshine.

Blue skies, too bright glare.

Trying not to squint

as I take first view.

10.

St Peter’s road,