Fontegaia, on we go...

6

 
Mangered by Siena's seven hills,
intuitively the Palio braves rip round
their Campo.  Mad steeds pummel down
stable-strewn bricks - an annual memorial

 
to virginal triumph (1260 Montaperti).
She who climbs over the things we do
on earth - august ascent up to
conceptual hyperspace (see Dante) -

 
becomes minatory martial emblem.  Great-
Eyed Virgin to grey-eyed Athena.  Aerial
spear of light.  Spine-tingling peal
above that rabid, rancorous cartwheel.

 
Yet beneath incense-fog and icon-shimmer
yet-more-evasive dream-reflections
stream.  Strange backflow, that shuns
the rampant street (immured murmurmur).

 
The lion must roar, and prophets prophesy...
Grim silhouette of spiritual fright, weird lemur-
glare of recompense - O feline moon of fire
(eroded copper coin, dangling above sky-

 
bearded Amazon, piranha-sheathed) -
under your rigid radiance, an undercurrent
of impending leaps (obverse impediment;
sidewinder; vernal meteor).  Bequeathed

 
now, homing dovecote-aerie, carrier-
plied past rims of warring warnings;
do-si-do-eyed whirl of cherishing
dear Wisdom, aflame in civic mirror.