A SIMPLE CUSTOM

Merchants in the mercato

selling everything

from bread to birds.

A man on a daily stroll

comes upon the cages.

How much? he says,

and points to

the biggest coop.

He pays, then opens

the latch, releasing

the little prisoners

into the blue infinity.

A man and his custom.

A daily practice.

Just another way

da Vinci brought

the Renaissance

to a dark age.