AQUILEIA
A TIME, A PLACE

IN A TIME OF WORK

DEVOTED TO THE REORDERING OF AN OLIVE GROVE

IT HAPPENS THAT FROM THE UNUSUAL

SORTING OF WOODS, OF STICKS,

OF BUNDLES GATHERED FROM PRUNING

AND FROM THE RECOVERY OF STONES AND BOULDERS

FROM THE EXCAVATION OF A FUTURE HOUSE

RE-EMERGES

A PLACE OF CHILDHOOD MEMORY

AQUILEIA

WHICH WAS THE VERY FIRST

REVEALING EPISODE

OF A PASSION FOR ANCIENT STONES

THIS PLACE REAL, INSTEAD

IT ALSO HAPPENS THAT UNEXPECTEDLY

FROM THE FOUNDATION EXCAVATION

TRACES OF AN ANCIENT HOUSE REAPPEAR.

AND THE LAYOUT OF THE NEW ONE BY CHANCE,

OVERLAYS IT LIKE A FOOT ON A FOOTPRINT

THE FOUNDATION SLAB – IN REINFORCED CONCRETE

IS THE SPACE OF ACCUMULATION

OF THE STONES AND THE WOODS

WHICH HERE TAKE ON A DIFFERENT ROLE.

IF, IN ANCIENT TIMES 

ARCHITECTURES DEFINED A CONTAINED SPACE, 

AND MARBLES EMBELLISHED THEM 

SCULPTED AND PAINTED FIGURES

TOLD STORIES, COMPREHENSIBLE THAN 

HERE EVERYTHING IS MORE UNCERTAIN;

THE BOUNDARIES FRAYED

THE SONG MORE VAGUE AND ABSTRACT

THE TESSERAE OF A PHILOLOGICAL MOSAIC

SCATTERED TEETH THAT HINT

AQUILEIA, IN SHORT

IS AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SPACE IN REVERSE

IT IS AN UNFAITHFUL 

AND FRAGILE CONSTRUCTION

IT IS THE RUIN AND THE PHOENIX

TIME THAT CHANGES THE SHADOW

AND DEPOSITS COLOR

IRRIGATING THE SKIN OF THE GROUND

HERE YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF

OR LOSE YOURSELF IN THE SACRED WOOD 

AND AVERT YOUR GAZE 

AS A PANIC CREATURE

YOU MAY ARRIVE AT THE SPRING

AND BE AMAZED THAT IT IS DRY

YOU MAY SEE THE INSENSATE MONKEY

ADORING ITSELF UPON THE COLUMN

YOU MAY…

AND MEMORY IS SHADOWS

DESTINED TO FADE OUT.

Monteleone Sabino, 14 May 2020