The Colosseum rose in the morning haze,
Its arches whispering of bygone days,
I traced its shadows, wide and deep,
Where echoes of battles still seem to sleep!

The Pantheon welcomed with solemn grace,
Light spilling softly into its space,
Its marble walls, its oculus sky,
Held secrets the centuries cannot deny!

The Spanish Steps, a cascade of stones,
Led me upwards, but not alone,
For laughter followed, voices near,
Each one a melody, sweet to hear!

By Trevi Fountain, the water danced,
Coins took flight and my heart advanced,
To all my dreams, both old and new,
Warmed by the company I stumbled into!

At St. Peter’s Basilica, grand and still,
The air was quiet, but people came to chill,
Sunlight poured through windows that were tall,
Painting gold halos for you, me and all!

Yet what shone brighter than Rome’s own glow,
Were the people I met, the souls I now know,
Kindred hearts in a beautiful and foreign place,
Who filled my journey with warmth and grace!

Now Rome remains in my mind’s embrace,
Its stones and smiles I cannot replace,
For beauty lives where hearts align,
And in Rome, for a while, the world was mine!