I was visiting the city in my dream
The day was spring like and the sun was warming me as I walked down one of its many hills
As I approached the city centre I found myself surrounded by a number of Italians
They thrust out pens and asked me to sign their books
Why did you write your book in English?
Because that is my first language
My English is poor and I am having difficulty in reading your book
Will you translate the book into Italian?
My Italian is poor
Will it be translated?
I looked at their beautiful faces
I looked at their olive skin and their jet black eyes busy with questions
Yes in time my book will be translated
My publisher is in Milan today
Tomorrow it will be translated
Soon the group began to fade
Slight kisses were exchanged
Ciao Beppe
Ciao Dina
Ciao Bella
Ciao Carlo
Ciao Ciao Ciao
Only one of the group remained
Her name was Katherine
She was standing in front of me
Her book was opened at page forty-eight
Unlike her friends Katherine did not have black hair and black eyes
Her skin was not olive but pale and freckled
Her hair was auburn and was moving gently in the Spring breeze
What happened to the book?
What book?
Glimpses of unfamiliar Japan
Glimpses of unfamiliar Japan by Lafeadio Hearn
Lowell mentions it in his poem Father’s Bedroom
It went to China with him and was left under an open porthole during a storm on the Yangtze River
It warped the olive cover but the pages suffered little damage
Do you know where it is now?
Not a present
Katherine left me and joined her friends
I had lied to her for the book now belonged to me and was on loan to a museum on the Yangtze River
I continued further into the heart of the city
I found a mobile phone shop derelict in an alley
Graffiti had been added to its sorry façade
Corrosive Instruments are teasing (tormenting) the pheasants
It is irresponsible of farmers to celebrate their freedom
As I walked past the shop a young mother stopped me
Do you think it is wrong of me to let Adam read the Aeneid as he is only three?
Has he started speaking?
Yes
Then he is old enough to read the Aeneid
I was seeking an iron bridge which crossed a road
Taking trains away from the city and receiving trains in return
It was no longer there
I am standing where a mighty bridge once stood
it was built by the railway for the common good
I am standing where a mighty bridge used to be
taking its rails towards the golden sea
Its vacancy is immense and the silence is deafening
A man in rags passes me
He is destitute
He has two dogs on long leads
They are immaculate
Come on Louis
come on Blue
your tragic master
has treats for you
Later I see this man again (without the immaculate dogs)
He is seated on a soft wood bench with two girls who are much younger than him
One has a shock of auburn hair
I mistake her for the Italian
The other is slight and very pale (she looks almost unwell)
The man has been drinking again
My niece came down to look after me
she is family all right as you can see
but do you know she does not care
and is fiery and wild as her ginger hair
She is a spitfire and not very nice
You are exaggerating Uncle
Now Chloe here is a different person
She is so quiet you would not know she was there
Who are you ringing Chloe?
Mum
Your sister remember
That is enough from you Spitfire
Why are you ringing your mum?
To say that you are drunk again
Tell her Spitfire is not looking after me
All she does is shout
And swear Uncle I also swear at you
Do not forget that
Tell mum that I have to lock my door
Spitfire laughs
Chloe laughs
I have had a lot to drink today
Spitfire laughs again
Chloe looks embarrassed
Do you know what I was charged to get into Bath?
£6.90 I asked the driver if that was too much
He told me that the return was cheaper
In my day the return cost more
Now Spitfire here had a special ticket
It would have got me into Bath for free
But did she share it with little me
Hell no
Her best friend means more to her
You are so selfish girl
You are the selfish one Uncle remember that
I am looking after you
You are feeding me that’s all
But you do not care
all you do is shout and swear
Well then starve you old fool
Chloe would have cared for me
Chloe has her hands full with our mother
How can you expect me to look after you when you do not care for yourself?
See the way she treats me Chloe
That’s the way she treats her own flesh and blood
Spitfire spotted a bus turning around a hidden corner
This is our bus
If you do not come with me then I will leave you here all night
I will give you a bell Clo when he’s asleep
Perhaps we can go out and catch a movie
I am in a café
It is owned by Beverly Farm
She inherited it from her father
Who died slowly from a painful disease
The café is in a prime spot in the city
And holds its own against all the chains
It is two minutes from the railway station
And is always full
The waitresses were dressed in identical brown tee shirts
They were friendly and obliging but were secretly bored
I order a pot of Earl Grey and a small slice of cake
I have not eaten since breakfast and it is nearly three
I plan my final journey of the day
I am walking towards
White Ox Mead
Which is situated in the Mendip Hills
A few miles from Bath
At the end a of muddy lane
There is an art gallery situated in a bare orchard
It is owned by a French woman named Marie Therese
I have been invited to her latest exhibition
She is showing only one work
She never exhibits more than one work
This is what makes her so unique
On wall furthest from the door
I can see her painting
It is large and very prominent
I have no trouble in reading its message
What is the title of your work?
The Fatal Thoughts of Theometers
The panting is red white and blue
And reads
I HATE YOU SO VERY MUCH