Prague friends

I heard that
time flies
Over there at the top of the road there’s
this city
that beats
By this heart are
sleeping friends
who wake
when the great bells
thunder


I recognised you
because you were holding
a song in your right hand
and in your left
a mirror to imprison the sun
Under your eyelids you kept
eyes that flashed
like knives
and I read in your gestures
all the signals
of the land we’d covered
together
once
today
I can’t forget
the mild savour of coffee
and the noise blue as alcohol
of all your voices
There you are
three four five six seven
a whole army
and you’re alone
before yourselves
with the courage of rainy days
and the snow of seasons


You still need to hold out your hands to me
now and then
when you look at
a big brand new house
when you listen to the wind
saying friend
Sometimes you need to
forget
but not too much
your friend
Now
in the circle of days
I’m not only trying to recall
the golden lane
or the stained glass windows of St. Vitus cathedral
or even the Jewish cemetery
and the astronomical clock
Now
I see your hands
they’re larger than me
turning
like rotors
I know I can’t forget
the great music
that feeds on the reflections
of the river of swans
and bounds out of town
about great hills
it’s the meeting of friends
the meeting of slow red trams
and the multicoloured song
of all jubilant friendship