Proteus of the Piazze

When hair of sea nymphs tangles in the early morning
Baskets of fresh chicory,
Dens of the Palatine release their tigers, turning
Reef in a green sea;
When cats doze mosaic and triumphal arches leap
Through buttery hoops of sun,
Here in the traveling circus of our noonday sleep,
One plus one is but one.
Tortoises to sprites to dolphins to spray say “Grazie”
In a delirious loss of identity:
A hatchet of dreams — hand it to him! — Proteus of the Piazze,
Marketing his daily mystery.