For Francesco

 

I hope your road is a good one

full of unexpected discoveries,

paths you’re exploring for the first time

where dragons and kind elves mix.

You enter a new environment

a school where you will teach maths

to disadvantaged children, KS 3 and 4,

where you will meet the unlucky ones

who will never access Oxford as you did,

who maybe are not as talented as you are

in painting, music and writing,

or excel in Physics and maths,

or understand Nietzsche’s and Kant’s thoughts.

Moving there is your choice

away from the too caring Italian family

to learn life from scratch, the ‘real’ one

after the university bubble.

Keep Newcastle in your heart and mind,

it will make you rich.