Man-bags borne upon the tourist wrist?
Accessorised by Gucci? – Si?
(You get the gist?)
We give the wrist a twist in fist meantime our Vespa running
To scoot with loot more fleet than foot –
Scippatori!
Our city is a history of sewers
Forebears found their exit underground
In days when petty crime to public Circus
Consigned our trembling carcasses First-House –
Now we rev dark webs of alleyways
Only you the tourist seem surprised by
Scippatori!
Cut-purse Bag-snatch Dipper
While you ‘see the sights’ we see a glimmer
And Rolex rates you a crack with a rock
For a rock of crack and a recommissioned ‘shooter’
‘Addio bambino’ then – ‘Polizia’! ‘Rapido!’ –
Scippatori!
Bernard Saint
Illustration: Claire Palmer
.