Archive Date: 6/20/1998
ROME
Ancient monuments impressive in their imperial glory
Scatter through corners
Withstanding the ravages of time and ultimately, man
Steeped in history,
Rome is the Eternal City
Forever standing guard over its glorious past
POMPEII
The dust and ashes have settled
Vesuvius' rage has cooled
The buried city of Pompeii has been unearthed from its volcanic grave
Now the living walk among its many cobblestone streets
Their steps ringing not so hollow
As they glance through the remains of this once great port
In hopes of catching a glimpse of life in centuries past
SORRENTO
Clinging to craggy cliffs
Overlooking a wide expanse of sea and sky
Sorrento hints at paradise
And resounds with the bustle of everyday life
CAPRI
I fell in love in Capri
The sight of sparkling blue on snowy white
Sun drenched, white washed villas
And small, hidden marinas
Immediately stole my heart
The best part of me belonged there
CASSINO
For centuries, the fortress on the hill has stood
A prime and unwilling witness to man's unerring appetite and capacity for destruction
Time and again it has been laid to rubble
Only to be rebuilt in its former image
An exercise in futility
Or a sign of man's inexhaustibly optimistic nature?
ASSISI
Sublime
Awe inspiring
Humbling
My wearied soul feels at peace here
Serenity, quiet joy
Wispy nothingness and infinite tears
Doubts erased
By the possibility of everything
Rejuvenation
Heaven
RAVENNA
(The Byzantine cathedral)
Byzantine mosaics bring about a quiet awe
Their colors chasing a somewhat stodgy brilliance
Their presence testimony to an era long overlooked
Perhaps even forgotten
History, trapped within their crystals
Dormant but alive
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