The Best of Science Fiction 12

Chiefly, it is blue. People use

the old archaic words, which sound

lark-like on their tongues,

not on mine. "I am fine,

thank you." Or: "Could you direct me

to the Mediterranean Sea?"

I ate an 'ice cream' cone,

and I saw the recent Pope.

It is hard to believe

we have our source in this nightmare

tangle of vegetable matter and stone,

that this hell is where

it all began. Yet there is something

in the light or in the air ...

I don't know what, but it is there.

I never thought I would descend

to such bathos! I did not come to

Earth to dredge up these worthless weary myths.

There was no mother at my birth —

I do not need one now.

Yesterday I visited Italy: Rome,

Florence, Venice, and the famous church

museum. There was little I missed

But tomorrow, thank god, I go home.