I don't know what Palladian means
I've gotten close to understanding Federal
at least
I can recognize when a building looks like John Adams
might have lived in it
though I don't know why his architecture was as boring
as his presidency
It's always the pillars that confuse me
But when you and I are dancing in and out
of the columns laughing
hugging ourselves to the marble and
grinning at both the grandeur of the ceiling
and the playful look on our faces
it makes no difference whether
the building is Greek Revival or Neoclassical
Maybe I should count the columns
and look at the symmetry
But if they are so concerned with symmetry
I don't know why they didn't consider
the gleam in your eyes when you look at the stars
or the blush on your cheeks before you tell a joke
That is probably where I would have started
Nobody is asking me though
probably for good reason
since I know those Beaux-Arts facades
sometime have columns too
and I haven't even mentioned those yet
I do love the flamboyancy of the decoration
the awful French proclivity to add pictures
to everything
Maybe that's why I love Gothic too
It's never a wasted moment staring at the stained glass
that protects St John the Divine
even if they still haven't finished the damn thing
Maybe then we'd finally know if it's bigger
than the Anglican cathedral in Liverpool
I learned to like soccer entirely to impress a girl
who likes the soccer team from Liverpool
I guess that's not exactly true
It's more like I relearned to like soccer
My dad gave me a Barcelona jersey when I was seven
as a gift from his business trip to Spain
I don't remember whose jersey it was
I only remember that it wasn't a Ronaldinho jersey
which is what he got himself and my stepbrother
I'm not sure why that wasn't what I got too
Thinking about my father reminds me of how
Gothic can sometimes lie and convince you
that it is really Romanesque
though one look at the arc of the windows
ought to give it away
it's a wonder that anybody ever got
any worshiping done in those dark churches
even if I know that many holy things
are shared when the lights are off
like when we lit candles and told secrets
and kissed before your parents got home
I'm not sure I'll ever understand the
appeal of International style
Some people don't like Brutalism either
but they've probably never looked at you
when you thunder at a protest
fiery-eyed
and strip the world to exposed concrete
You'd hate being compared to Brutalism
Perhaps the soft slow curves
of Art Noveau
would work better
but first I would have to find a building
that actually uses that style
I guess you'll have to come with me
and we'll go looking for one