a postcard from Venice

of course

it was beautiful.

the architecture, the haze

of blue

in the air.

the scent of history,

of a thousand years.

it was exactly like every movie

or postcard

you had ever seen.

the gondolas.

the men in striped shirts.

the little shops,

the canals,

St. Marks with its

innumerable pigeons.

the glass blowers

and artists,

but then

there was us. a lot of us.

off cruise

ships and buses.

taking pictures and selfies.

an hour of walking

around,

then on our way.