I can't let another week go by without bringing your thoughts to the earthquake in L'Aquila, the city where I researched my master's thesis, where Dan worked on an experiment as a post-doc, and where we effectively became engaged. This is a view of the fountain, begun in 1272, on which I wrote, and which had been destroyed several times by earthquakes and mudslides in its long history. Part of my thesis equated the many heads of the spouts with the solidarity of the citizens of L'Aquila coming together after the young city was ransacked by Manfred to rebuild it; thus, after this most recent destruction, I am confident that the city will see another resurrection. Nevertheless, the sight of tiny white coffins placed on top of the larger brown parent coffins, the cracking of church transepts and bell towers, and the rubble of collapsed buildings on the street on which I lived has brought me to tears several times as I watch the slideshows published online in American and Italian newspapers. I have yet to see whether "my" fountain survived.(One good thing--it brought be back in touch with an old Italian friend.)
1 comment:
The earthquake has been in my thoughts so much as well. I hope your fountain is as resilient as the people who live there.
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