Vox Populi

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Sharon Fagan McDermott: Parli Italiano

In the dream I am in Florence again, in Piazza Santa Croce,
and I spin in a crowd of strangers, my eyes closed.
All around me Italian voices pulse and glow like blood-
orange roofs on the houses and the Duomo in late afternoon.
The Arno pulls past—a slow train—azzurro, azzurro,
a sky rinsed in blue above me. In the dream, I, too,
am buffed gold, levitating to the music of language
stitched by Dante and Petrarch. Such words
built for beauty, for artists and poets, for lovers
and ruins. Salt and sea waters wash over me, dazzle
with light and the slippage of moon over bridges.
Language is a song of loose coins, spilling down
from the fountains. Then bells of the Duomo ring
out over Firenze.  A chorus and choir, a volta!
As vowels sail off the ends of each word.


Sharon Fagan McDermott’s most recent book is Life without Furniture (Jacar, 2020).

Copyright 2020 Sharon Fagan McDermott

Piazza Santa Croce, Florence

13 comments on “Sharon Fagan McDermott: Parli Italiano

  1. Nancy M Ursino Howard
    January 27, 2021

    Beautiful ❤️

    Liked by 2 people

  2. rosemaryboehm
    January 27, 2021

    An absolutely goooooorgeous poem. Leaves an afterglow.

    Liked by 3 people

    • singsharon
      November 8, 2021

      Thanks so much, rosemaryboehm! I appreciate your kind words (though it took me many months to read them…)

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Judith Sanders
    January 27, 2021

    Bellissimo!

    Liked by 3 people

    • singsharon
      November 8, 2021

      Thank you, my friend. I appreciate this comment!

      Liked by 1 person

  4. José A. Alcántara
    January 27, 2021

    Beautiful!

    So much ugliness these days, it’s nice to disappear into this lovely painting/poem for a few moments.

    “The Arno pulls past—a slow train—azzurro, azzurro,
    a sky rinsed in blue above me.”

    I’ve never been. Your words remind me that I must.

    Thank you.

    Liked by 3 people

    • Vox Populi
      January 27, 2021

      Thanks, Jose. I love this poem as well. A moment of joy…

      Liked by 2 people

    • singsharon
      November 8, 2021

      Thank you so much, Jose! What a lovely, kind note you left back in January–and here I’m finally revisiting this poem in November 2021. But the kindness is all the sweeter today. Sharon

      Liked by 2 people

  5. Barbara Huntington
    January 27, 2021

    Love this. Was in Glorence in October before pandemic.

    Liked by 2 people

    • Barbara Huntington
      January 27, 2021

      Florence!!!!

      Liked by 1 person

    • singsharon
      November 8, 2021

      Barbara: you are such a generous reader to us all here on Vox Populi! I appreciate and admire how you support others in the poetry world so much!

      Liked by 2 people

  6. daninmaya
    January 27, 2021

    Such lovely language! Colours! Sounds! Vowels sail off the ends of words. Tea and words to start the day

    Liked by 2 people

    • singsharon
      November 8, 2021

      Daninmaya: thank you so much. I (obviously) don’t always check back on comments, but I should have this day! I really appreciate it.

      Liked by 1 person

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This entry was posted on January 27, 2021 by in Poetry and tagged , , , , .

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