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Monday, April 1, 2013

After the fire and the flame

Pompeii and
Herculaneum
were cities once,
and proud
before Vesuvius,
on which they stood,
blew to the sky,
then dropped
its scalding rain,
without warning.

Vestiges of buildings,
walls, and doors
and floors,
and art abounds,
but silence surrounds
the former streets,
and death surrounds
the former men.
There was beauty
in those streets
produced by artisans
who'll never more
mosaic a floor
or kiss a wife
or child.
Kay L. Davies, 2013






Photos by Richard Schear, 2013




Posted for the first day of April, 2013, the first day of our own NaPoWriMo which will, of course, continue to the end of the month, or until all the poets run out of ideas, ink, and energy here at the Imaginary Garden with Real Toads.


20 comments:

Fran said...

You have summed up the tragic sadness of Pompeii beautifully xxx

TCPC said...

loved this one...an ode to many of the unsung artists!

Gattina said...

Amazing isn't it ? I have never been there it's a real shame ! Since my first love (an Italian too) in 1964 till today I have seen Italy from top to bottom except two things : Rome and Pompeii ! I always thought I go there later !

Anunoy Samanta said...

Good thing is that those ruins don't have the bad habit of lamenting like us... isn't so?
nice captures Kay!
Cheers :-)

anthonynorth said...

We have many of the treasures on display in the UK at the moment, so a timely post.

Kerry O'Connor said...

Pompeii must be a very haunted place - the ready evidence of the destruction continues to impress upon our psyches thousands of years after the event.

Mara said...

I have been to Pompeii and to Herculaneum. Both very beautiful places, albeit with a sad history.

Janine Bollée said...

Oh these are beautiful. I envy you the memories of this trip. [Well, maybe not all :-). Did you get some help from the police and insurance?]
Hope we all make it to the end of the month together.

Grace said...

Interesting to see those places Kay ~ Thanks for taking us along in your travels ~

Jenn Jilks said...

April is here!
Cheers from Cottage Country!

Jim said...

Very descriptive of your impressions, Kay.

Like the Little Mouse who visited the Queen, what did I see?

Take a peek:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_aOZEGRAw2Q8/S4ik3h6h_7I/AAAAAAAAG6E/Pz5M9zaNOuc/s800-h/100_1024.JPG . The crowds didn't bother him or her one bit.
..

Grandmother Mary said...

A stark reminder of how fleeting life can be and how quickly things change. What remains there catches that as does your poem.

Susie Clevenger said...

We never know what life will bring. You have so aptly described the horror and loss of Pompeii.

Sherry Blue Sky said...

Such fantastic ruins, captured so well in the photos. It must be amazing to walk there. Love your poem and title.

Debbie Taillieu said...

Wow! I'm speechless!
Beautiful!
Hope you had a wonderful Easter!
Hugs,
Debbie

Marian said...

yes, art that's no more. do you know the song "This Was Pompeii" by Dar Williams? you might enjoy. let's go, one down, twenty-nine to go! :)

Kateri said...

Sad and lovely...

Other Mary said...

And you were there! How cool! Lovely and profound sentiments here Kay.

Unknown said...

Such beauty in those ruins. Thank you for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Kay, you showed the true beauty of Pompeii. It's sad to think that there was a time when true artisans could make a living, support a family. That one man frozen in place; was he a victim? Scary.

Thank you for putting words and pictures to an historic site. Peace, Amy