a relic

amongst the ruins

I walk streets

once strode by

arrogance

slavery

vanity

barbarians

a wreath

is laid

at Caesar's grave

as myths

of past glory

pollute

the present

the crows know

humans grand

and humans small

may come and go

like you and me

but up on the

Palatine Hill

where Romulus

and Remus

lived as

steppenwolves

the crows

made

black watchers

of the past

young black watchers

for the future

long after

we are home

perhaps they

cowered by

Nero's fire

or when

Peter hanged

upside down

only they

will know

those

undertakers

of the past

they will know

O yes,

for sure

they'll know