We just wanted to wish our complicated, schizophrenic, but weirdly and eminently lovable friend, Bogotá, the happiest of birthdays. You´re a grand old dame of 475 today, and so it´s only right we mark the occasion. I guess we never expected to become such intimate mates with such a grungily energetic city, but somehow, you´ve won our hearts. It´s kinda hard to explain – to someone who doesn´t already know – what exactly it is we love about you, but, torn-sarn it! We do.
It´s kinda hard to explain, but it´s moments – written in 4-7-5 time – like the following that just might capture your heart…
DAPPER OLD GENTLEMAN
His hands´ wrinkles
Tighten around the morning´s
Steaming green-blue cup.
BLIND BUSKER
Brown hands brush strings
A joyful pain runs over
Coins she´ll never see.
PLAZA BOLIVAR
Stoically still
Now the Liberator reads
Pigeon semaphore.
EL CHORRO
That old mountain
Peers down as punks make stories
Wrapped in wispy sheets.
LEAVING LA VILLA
The club spills out
Breathless firewater nights
Manic taxis wait.
For this, and everything else, old girl,
Happy Birthday, Bogotá.
Here´s to the next 475 years.
Paul Giles on
Thank you, Roxanne!
There is a certain…what the French call ¨I don´t know what¨ about Bogotá that can get you, right? 🙂
Roxanne on
This made me smile. Keep making this lovely city look good!