The very mention of Portugal's Lisbon evokes an anticipation of enticement,
Replete with rich history and heritage, any visit is bound to be one of excitement,
Linked to the legendary Ulysses, it is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe,
It's historical prominence is due to it's beautiful natural harbor, that needs no lookup

Even for those who love city walking, the steep inclines of the streets could be a stretch,
A plethora of pleasing tiled architectural facades however, makes up for the arduous dretch,
The city is built in a succession of terraces up the slopes of a range of low rolling hills,
Elevation variations offer spectacular views of the river & cliffs, adding considerable frills

As a city built on seven hills, Lisbon's topography is a mix of enchanting contrasts,
Monumental buildings, elegant squares and broad avenues encompass large vasts,
Quick digression to hilly, narrow, winding, cramped streets is a common occurrence,
The ambience while strolling is pleasing & the transition in terrain is a nice experience

Lisbon's uniqueness is in it's hybridity of historical and modern cultures and lifestyles ,
Smart rooftop bars of hotels contrast to excellent inconspicuous restaurants in style,
The city boasts of an internationally acclaimed one-of-a-kind  architectural singularity,
That can be seen in scores of buildings where spectacular tiled facades are a specialty

Building facade tiles are characteristically ornamented with figures in blue-toned colors,
As seen in homes, public buildings, cafes, train stations, shops, churches and many others,
Called "Azulejos" in Portuguese, these unique tiles also serve to remove building dampness,
Innovative iterations have made tiles more vibrant, rendering greater degree of brightness

One of Lisbon's trademarks is the famed, oldest Portuguese paving on most streets,
Made of limestone cubes, shaped and placed by skilled craftsmen, never missing a beat,
The designs are geometric, figurative or specific depending on the final location,
Special atmosphere is created as it reflects all light falling on it, that begs causation

Lisbon's distinctive colored tram cars are iconic and, for visitors a must-have ride experience,
Hop on board to the sound of squeaky brakes and shrill bells, that have little consequence,
Navigating the steep hills, narrow streets and sharp turns, the journey is fun-filled & exciting,
The ability to lean out and touch perilously close building walls in narrow streets, is most defining

Baixa is Lisbon's central business and shopping district that is always bustling with activity,
It houses the most emblematic squares and streets with neoclassical buildings in the vicinity,
This touristy part of town is flanked by fascinating historical sights that are iconic, quite frankly ,
Fusion of it's history, traditional Portuguese culture and modern tourism, is depicted very aptly

Overlooking River Tejo is Praca do Comercio, a magnificent plaza and Lisbon's grandest square,
The surrounding arcaded buildings, equestrian statue and  Rua Augusta Arch all add to the flair,
Bustling Rossio Square with cafes is Baxia's principal square with it's wave-patterned pavement,
Adjacent Restauradores Square with much history has a standout obelisk - a landmark monument

Navigating around the hilly city is commonly by cab or metro as both are relatively inexpensive,
Other options include trams, funiculars, buses and ferries, that can be fun and equally effective,
When it comes to a tossup, Lisbon metro with four lines, is usually the fastest way to commute,
Providing a seamless experience for visitors, thanks to  a system that is designed to be astute

A visit to Lisbon is never complete without a day trip to  Sintra, perched atop a mountainous site,
Sintra's jewel in the crown is undoubtedly the famous Pena Palace - an UNESCO World Heritage Site,
The iconic twin conical chimneys and the lavish, whimsical interiors have an unique construction style,
The castle rooms with colorful, artistically painted emblematic ceilings are surely worthy of a besmile

Lisbon's charming tourist attractions and lifestyle are the prime reasons for it being a go-to location,
It has a welcoming and liberal allure with extensive history, that makes it a popular holiday destination,
One continues reminiscing the sloping streets, effusive warmth of locals and colorful architectural tiling,
At the end of it all, a visit to Lisbon always remains wistful, whilst at the same time, leaving one smiling!

I woke early
this morning in Lisbon
before the birds chirped
the traffic shattered
the silent room in the
Sao Bento Guesthouse
and the old tram
struggled, groaned up
the steep hill

She stirred beside me
even and measured breaths
I turned on the white light
and read Pessoa
and Florbella Espanca
poets of the past
of the hilled city
split poetic personalities
the one
she, the other,
a killer of
her self

"Abre os elhos e encara a vida!"
advice not taken

today we'll walk those hills
ride those trams
and eat seafood along the Tagus
as we ignore
the passing
of our lives

open your eyes and face your life

The hair on your forehead is soft umber wheat
with a cerulean sky behind it,
the dent on your cheek is deep-
enough for me to rest in it

You are the emerald mountains
and the tranquil rain,
that calms me down
and hands me pain

You are jazz and blues
and if yellow ochre had a sound,
Lying in between our smiles,
was a place that you found

I miss you
and the little church in Lisbon,
across the lone bench,
with a stick that you relied on

In the back of my mind,
how could I ever?
When I've never met you
and I've never been to Lisbon

a.r.

The sun has long disappeared behind the stage
I'm inspired and sweaty and feeling my age

The amplifiers still ringing in my ears

The smell of the Tagus draws in and I take my tired frame up winding streets
The cafés are open. Piano music. Shoes on cobbles providing the beat

Sat silently listening to the late urban shuffle, people appear from narrow openings between tired, tiled buildings
Are the up late, are they up early?

It's been a long day. A day of fleeting smiles.
I think of you, and there's one more.

This one lasts.

I walk my life, a subway station
Where dirt consorts
The air around.
It pounds my nape,
It flames my mind
With sights and fates
And sounds.

Above, a tram goes up the alley
Tinged with canary hue.
Below, my wit:
What void, what valley:
It sank, in Tagus mused.

I take a seat, doors screech behind.
O, what wondrous whiffs?
Of metal beams
Attriting loudly
Against metal wheels?

To a halt it cuts my chain of thought,
Rivals my dream, they brawl.
'Tis from the gallery
Of broken hope
The beggar man crawls.

Intemperate horns his entry announce,
Dysphoric scenes aground.
He comes detuned
Near clears his throat,
Lethargic voice resounds:

I beat my cane
In wrongful rhythm,
'Cause wrongful
Was my life.
My voice hurts from
All this singing:
'Twas morphed into
A sigh.
I longed, I longed
For all my sinning
Was ought to be repaid.
Deserved so much,
God took my
Will, my sight,
My love, my
Name.

So tell me, vagrant,
What did He take?
-Said I-
Who has loved you?
What is your will,
What name did you go by?

I used to be a man of soul
Whose heart beat strong and dign,
I used to write
And then I died
On the 10th before July.

He took my coins for all my service
At wars:
At land
At sea
-The waves still have her,
Laying there still,
Waiting away from me!-
Said he-
I will my love,
My fire, passion
-My young Natercia!-
Most darling of all nymphaea!

So God is just after all,
Replacing sin with grief.
No need for me
To pay the man:
God has done the deed.

The deadbeat coins of his cup
Turmoil ever so slightly.
I leave my dream,
Doors shrill again:
'Tis time to end my journey.

One last look for Lisbon
Let it seep into my heart
One last wistful wish that
I was back again at the start
I was a girl then
Wondering how to do my hair
I am a woman now
Heavy heart frayed with wear
One last look for Lisbon
Windows glow from the sunrise
The air feels full of magic
I am much more alive
I want to take a picture
So I pull out my phone
But no, I don’t need a photograph
Just this feeling in my bones

Lost in Lisbon,
just me and my addictions,
and when I say addictions,
I mostly mean my addiction to women,

caught in the same cliche,
but I can’t seem to get away,
like a dream that keeps repeating,
same place same case just a different day,

thinking that somehow *** can replace,
the actual act of acceptance,
thinking that regret can somehow set,
the pace for some sort of repentance,

but nothing changes,
except the weather and sometimes the faces,
found I’m still lost,
I’m a great shot but what’s the worth of a great shot that’s aimless?

No target,
no goals,
just a free market,
that’s completely uncontrolled.

There are no rules,
there’s no reality on which to base this face it,
we are all lost that is for sure,
only difference is most of us don’t want to admit it.

Addicted,
to the chaos it’s such a turn on,
even when I feel sick,
and my heart’s gone cold I’m still burnin’,

she’s turning,
her back on me,
says she doesn’t want to have ***,
and I understand her exactly,

sometimes I wish I wasn’t a man,
sometimes I wish we were all brilliant light,
want to leave my dull bland body so bad,
that if someone came to take my life I wouldn’t even fight.

I don’t fight her,
she says no so I sit up and ask her to leave,
it’s almost 4 o’clock in the afternoon already,
and she’s got a flight to catch that’s leaving for Italy,

and it is then that I see that she’s leaving me,
both figurative and literally,
which I guess I accept because one fact,
we all leave everyone and everything eventually,

even ourselves,
the cards we were dealt,
were bizarre as a guitar played like like a bagpipe by a Celt,
and even though we feel no more well hell at least there was a time we felt,

oh well,
I understand now that you’re timeless and your love is priceless,
fairwell,
we win some and we lose some I guess that’s what this Game of Life is,

blameless and shameless in Lisbon having a midlife crisis.

Living in cities of sin singing songs of wrong still trying to be righteous,
lost as a lark trying to parrot a song to carry us along and guide us,
flying through this civic blueprint climbing high we deny lies and define all aliveness,
and even though your iris is sublime and so is mine we can’t seem to see through our own blindness,
  
like trying to adjust to the distrust that we feel when we’re told that someone loves us,
and the ironic thing is that in your strangeness I see a similar likeness.

We lost us.

We lost us and our fondness for any sort of conscious conscience,
so now we’re in love with fervid thugs and hooligans that are heartless,
and when we’re asked why we’re in love with this life we say because we are artist,
which partially explains why I’m in Portugal in pain with a beauty that’s stunningly monstrous.

Lost in this,
constant concoction of consciousness,
lost in this,
city by the ocean caught in the North Atlantic drifts,

lost in Lisbon,
just me and my addictions,
and when I say addictions,
I mostly mean my addiction to women…

∆ Aaron LA Lux ∆

20/08/16

To see a fraction
of the world:
so many different people
and all of them
have something to tell
a poem of their own,
and sometimes you just want
to stop it all
and go to them
and grab that poem
and read it

but poetry doesn’t work that way,
and so you wait
for the poem to unfold.