impressions of paris

paris is still a mystery to me
a fleeting childhood memory
of sitting in a brasserie with my family
or walking the streets terrified, wide-eyed
a five year old who could never know
how later those cobble stones
would capture every facet of his imagination

lying half asleep half dreaming
of street lights in the rain
my mind lost in a maze of alleyways
sketched by some great painter or another
a long lost golden age framed
on nicotine stained page of prolific writers

gazing on as the eiffel tower
appears to be struck by lightning
as if this city weren't inspiring enough
the city where romantics come to fall in love
and rub shoulders with living history
a cast of artists and authors crafting
their own parisian reality

i can't help but imagine paris to be
some sort of 1920s fantasy
but alas, the city is still a mystery to me

I think your imaginings of what Paris is are extremely vivid. I thought:

lying half asleep half dreaming
of street lights in the rain

should have read:

lying half asleep half dreaming
under street lights in the rain

making it even more of an enigma!

Very nicely written Sampson. You should post more often.