Lighthouse, by Sharmagne Leland-St.John
Departing Faro Dell Isola di Murano
by Paulette Demers Turco
Under threatening clouds.
one August afternoon,
our vaporetto churned
the teal Venetian Lagoon.
The lighthouse towered, a beacon
of the Adriatic Sea.
Its stark white cylinder
seemed poised, prepared to flee
its base, escape to space.
Instead, from miles away,
it guided mariners,
whether night or day,
over centuries.
Yet here, deep secrets held.
Artists were isolated.
Their glass-bead skills compelled
rich merchants to seclude
a treasured, unique class
who honed their life-time craft–
cherished Venetian glass,
desired around the world.
Perfection was pursued
while within neighboring walls,
monks chose their solitude.
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