Souvenir

Got you a postcard from Paris

From under the lit up tower,

And from a hidden beach in Nice,

Coloured pebbles for the shower.

Brought you a bookmark from Brugge

From an old man by a bridge,

Klimt coasters from Vienna

And a magnet for your fridge.

And bottle caps from Berlin

And from Munich, mini cars,

Nothing, though, from Amsterdam,

Or you'd find me behind bars.

A little Jewish star from Prague,

Some centuries from Rome,

And palinka from Budapest

To warm your heart and home.

And metro maps and train tickets

And coins and bills and flags,

I stuffed and stuffed these things into

My overflowing bags.

Little did I know while picking

These souvenirs with glee,

That I would meet a souvenir

Of what you used to be.

- Sejal Ghia