Apsley House Wellington Museum Guide 1984

This book of inventory
withdrawn from circulation in 2006
reused on a visit to Apsley House February, 2007
says
great magnificent famous treasure richer elaborate even more gold
and lists the spoils of empire with assiduous care.

Tourists wander, ears to audioguides,
past cracks and patches in the Bath stone,
under waterstains on sumptuous ceilings,
under silent descendents living in attic rooms
of this monument to state and conquest.

Outside our own indifferent empire flows past in taxis
rushing, circular
around this decaying traffic island
withdrawn from circulation.

- Emily Artinian, April 2007

for the REGENERATOR project