I walked past images of the gods oozing from the walls, drawn to the secret rear chamber.

More enticing than the statue were her shadows on the walls, glimpses into an ephemeral world.

Reality lives on the back streets in Firenze, and the unsanitized grit cleanses my spirit.

Still whispering secrets after all these years.

Saturated with Renaissance opulence, I walk the neighborhoods of the Oltrarno.

Delicate color, elegant patterns and sublime proportion. . a monument.

Gilded firmament teems with ancient deities.

Travelers in feathers and hats. . .the ubiquitous landscape.

The heart's imagination turns stones to magic.

Fresh lake breezed frame the moment.