QUATTRO/FOUR

". . . look at the scars of the earth: the fjords, the falls, the canyons, once deep wounds in the skin of our planet now the best of what we adore. & the old city with its worn walls - how many children has it raised? how many eyes have seen beauty & history there? i've never heard a cathedral complain about the cracks in its side. . ." (Torri Horness)

In Sottochiesa, under the church, in the heat of the sun, we walk up the hill. Dappled light, patterns green and slate; swaying with gentle mountain winds. We puff as we hike, listening to burbling streams hidden beneath delicate ground flora. The clang of cowbells and ancient church chimes create rhythm and pace. We taste the water and breathe in the scent of basilico, gelsomino, ciclomeno along the way. Our sense of curiosity ignites questions about who lives in the stone cottages. What is the nonna basking in the sun, with curlers in her hair, saying as she offers conversation in Italiano? Buona giornata, smile the faces. We have one chance to go from here to there; here and now. 

Come with us. 

*Image of Pizzino, Italy, taken by Ellen Avery, 2018. Reprinted with permission. 

Reference: 

Horness, T. Stained Glass. Retrieved from https://www.instagram.com/p/BhAJHYWhNeP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link