The poems, “Fitting Passage” and “Reel to Real,” were originally posted in three by 3, June-August 2016. Since then, the former was published in the online literary journal The Sacred Cow Magazine, Winter issue (https://sacredcowmagazine.com) and the latter is forthcoming in Bitchin’ Kitsch, Vol. 8 issue 6 (http://www.talbot-heindl.com/).
The three by 3 posting can be accessed by scrolling down or selecting the June-August 2016 entry in the archive box.
“A Self Guided Tour of Pompeii” was inspired by a trip taken to Southern Italy and Sicily in October of 2015. Besides the plaques, a field guide acquired at the Pompeii gift shop was useful in resourcing the poem.
A Self Guided Tour of Pompeii
1.
The citizens of Pompeii worshipped lots of gods–
publicly in temples, privately at home.
Jove, Jupiter, Minerva, Apollo, topped the rosters.
Thanks to them fortune fared good or bad.
More, but of lesser stature, meddled in household affairs.
The Lares enshrined within atriums look human,
dress alike, carry buckets laden with wine,
big and small horns for serving.
2.
Tourists visiting the City view Vesuvius
to the north, weather permitting.
Its dark side hides within a deep crater
that can erupt at any time.
The latest, in 1944, lasted a week,
razed an allied air base, neighboring towns,
buckled the strada to Naples.
3.
On display among the ruins
lie mummies from all walks of life.
Cooling lava cast them, by chance,
in their final moments.
They remain mute while plaques
in French, Italian, English,
cite facts and figures
incapable of explaining why.
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