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 RISE AGAIN.

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

FOR THE STONES AND WOOD

WHICH HERE TAKE ON A DIFFERENT ROLE.

(IF) IN ANCIENT TIMES 

ARCHITECTURES DEFINED A CONFINED SPACE, 

AND MARBLES EMBELLISHED THEM, AND 

SCULPTED AND PAINTED FIGURES

TOLD STORIES, COMPREHENSIBLE 

(THEN) HERE EVERYTHING IS MORE UNCERTAIN;

THE BOUNDARIES FRAYED

THE SONG MORE VAGUE AND ABSTRACT

THE TESSERAE OF THE 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

YOU MAY FIND YOURSELF HERE

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 FOOLISH MONKEY

ADORING ITSELF UPON THE COLUMN

YOU MAY……………………

AND MEMORY IS SHADOWS

DESTINED TO FADE

Monteleone Sabino, 14 May 2020