ATHENS 1995

perhaps jason pilots the olympic airlines flight

towards greece    cradle of european civilization  plato’s

dialogues  socrates’ philosophy  pythagoras’ secret numbers

mythical argonauts gild skies  golden lambswool clouds

freshly shorn   afternoon light steals into night

timeless   past  present  future   glimpses

glittering islands   star-studded darkness

wing tip blink  fasten seat belt   strong winds

tossed and flung  like child’s kite

no smoking zone  war zone  toxic fug  swirling chemicals

tobacco rows  glowing   red   hostie sucks her ciggie

asthmatic ? tough  – not enough seats for smokers

dina  masks her face  white silk scarf  white noise

she breathes   sleeps   wakes  last glimmer  another day

golden sliver gilds the wing    clouds froth    navy sky

or is it sea? glow of twilight   sleeping  long night ends

breakfasted buffed  becalmed  await the landing

bump clunk the plane taxis  stops   click clack   dina’s scarf groans i’m black

from soot   aircraft steps extending    dina  shivers  snuggles into coat

taxi driver asks do you like greece  a question she thought

only posed by yobbo aussies of new arrivals

outskirts of  athens   drab paint-peeling boxes sighing

ancient monuments and  broken columns  whispering

of former glory  barrows on corners offer  kouloria

aroma of baking  crisp circlets of bread   sesame seeds – delicious!

icy breeze  dina hurries  into   warm bar  green red lights  glow welcome

zorba  tosses  teases and torments worry beads   smoking  coughing

brings coffee 400 drachmas  tiny cup  dark liquid great aroma

later dina checks her purse  i gave 1000 drachma  only 100 change

perhaps i’m jet-lagged perhaps  not   feel muddled

zorba the barista loses his english

dina finds a bank   smaller notes

omonia square   pavement grumbles i’m cracked

pot holes leer  seats scratched  paint receding  elderly greek

smooth olive patter   offers to show her around

waxed moustache twitches  anticipation

dina asks directions   makes her escape

panepistimiou street stretches  in warm sunshine

dina enjoys quality boutiques  fine clothing

18ct gold jewellery   ready to caress   possess

black-clad granny   sits in the dust with crutches

imploring eyes   begging bowl pleads

a few drachmas

florist shop blossoms  riot of hues  petals coaxing her to buy

young woman  stringy hair  hopeless air

scrofulous hound on rope english sign no home  no job

dozens of kiosks – peripetero –  postcard adventures

souvenirs   trinkets  rainbows of dreams  lucky numbers

organ-grinder  portrait  exotic woman raven hair carmine roses

voluptuous eyes  plays haunting oriental music

dina tosses three coins into the saucer

policeman  white-gloved gesticulates  whistles screams  booking

every moped driver  who passes   dina puzzles over the infringement

brakes screech  sirens wail   horns toot   alternate-day cars  fail

to ease traffic congestion    motorbikes sneak short-cuts  along pavements

vehicles surge   change lanes  rev engines  menace pedestrians

even at  crossings   citizens  zig zag  among the aggressive throng

while the great reaper shakes his dark cloak  waiting  salivating

tourist coach miscalculation   narrow corner   driver backs up

young woman leaps  screams  watch out  my car will be crushed   

take a different line

ten am  fine spring morning  air hazy  exhausted

ancient marble pitted  crumbling

roaring beasts fuming pollution

cranes   work sites  excavations

underground railway

promised soon