On explosions now and nel futuro

Fireworks over the City of St. Petersburg, Florida; July 4th, 2009

XXI

KEEP, the peace, Borso!" Where are we?
"Keep on with the business,
That's made me,
"And the res publica didn't.
"When I was broke, and a poor kid,
"They all knew me, all of these cittadini,
"And they all of them cut me dead, della gloria."
Intestate, 1429, leaving 178,221 florins di sugello,
As is said in Cosimo's red leather note book. Di sugello.
And "with his credit emptied Venice of money "--
That was Cosimo --
"And Naples, and made them accept his peace."
And he caught the young boy Ficino
And had him taught the Greek language;
"With two ells of red cloth per person
I will make you", Cosimo speaking, "as many
Honest citizens as you desire."
Col credito suo...
Napoli e Venezia di danari... Costretti... Napoli e Venezia... a quella pace...
Or another time... oh well, pass it.
And Piero called in the credits,
(Diotisalvi was back of that)
And firms failed as far off as Avignon,
And Piero was like to be murdered,
And young Lauro came down ahead of him, in the road,
And said: Yes, father is coming.

Intestate, '69, in December, leaving me 237,989 florins,
As you will find in my big green account book
In carta di capretto;

-- Ezra Pound
American poet

(From the Cantos)