25. In search of St. Mark's

Off I went bundled in the freezing cold,

Everyone looks like a scene from Dr. Zchiavago.

I heard music and had to duck into an alleyway

Opened the door to a beautiful monastery.

That's the beauty about Florence, you see,

You open a door, and there is beauty.

There were about a dozen young men and women in monk's cloaks

Singing chants in angelic harmony baroque.

I thought of myself many years ago,

When I stayed in yoga ashrams learning posture flows.

I would take classes from four am to nine,

And, even got kicked out of class one time.

We were practicing netis to follow

Brought us six feet of gauze to swallow.

I will never forget the horrible sound

Of people gaging trying to get it down.

My girlfriend and I looked at each other with fright,

Thinking if we will make it through the night.

We both started laughing, with the gauze hanging out,

And spit and snot from our noses oozed out.

The monks scolded us and ordered us to leave,

We didn't take this serious, they were quiet peeved.

Because we were disruptive, we were put in a corner

Which made us laugh even more and more!

By day, you would have to learn

Every posture and alternative turns.

Hold each posture for two minutes straight,

and if you have to pee, well you just have to wait.

Evenings were for a time of  sanskrit chanting,

Where anything goes as long as you were dancing.

I listened until they were complete

And, back into the cold and windy street.

I was trying to find St. Mark's church square

For Saturday evening, there is an opera affair.

I was standing there looking at the map fast,

And a man asked if I was attending mass.

He opened a gigantic wooden door,

And I wasn't on the street anymore.

Inside the church, he declared,

Is what you are looking for, St. Mark's square.

St Mark's is Florence's  only English chapelm established over 125 years,

What were that chances that I would land here.

I was greeted by a priest, Father Robert is his name,

 But looked and spoke like Peter O'Toole, just the same.

There were only two of us in this tiny side chapel,

And, I participated in mass with my own private papel.

Smiled inside because of my convictions a few days before,

And I could hear God laughing saying, "Watch out what you ask for!"

After service, we chatted about politics in the United States,

He was very informed, said electing O'Bama was a mistake.

His rhetoric is appealing to the uneducated, just too profound 

And, most of the European nations think he has politics upside down.

His friend, John arrived and we talked of art and sculptors.

Said, when you arrive Saturday night, you will have a good seat for the opera.

Walked to my favorite cafe for an early dinner to go

The waiter recognized me and said, "And a glass of Lambusco?" 

Finally purchased a purse from a leather market stall

Fellow sold it to me for 1/2 price because " no customers at all."

Arrived back at the hotel and the front desk clerk Ilia smiled,

Tomorrow, you have an all day cooking class, Firenze style.

Ilia the desk clerk told me of a free concert

At a church where they play Handel and Mozart,

I went in search during the 20 degree weather,

Glad I bundled up in a sweater.

Not too many people sitting in the pews,

But the music was wonderful, had a good view.

After listening awhile I started to look,

For the organ player in each cranny & crook.

Soon people left and I was all alone in the dark,

Just turn it around and said, well this is just a special private part.

Bubble was burst when a young man appeared quite boring,

Flicked on the lights and turned off the music recording.

Walked through the street where the vendors were breaking down,

As I watched them I realized this was hard labor all around.

I saw the fellow I bought the purse from,

And he said, "14 hours a day, and they start again at dawn."