Caren Krutsinger Poet Rhyme

Notes About The Poem

Carlo D’Oriano, who has been the lighthouse keeper for Punta Carena was told through a letter issued by the Italian Minister of Defence that he will not be  needed after Jan 1, 2019.  Punta Carena has been Carlo’s home for thirteen years.  He plays the guitar, paints watercolour seascapes, and writes poetry in his extra time. 

Thousands of years ago people built bonfires on cliffs to alert  lost sailors. Today in most lighthouses in the world, there is no human watcher.  Almost every country has already gone the way of automation.  There are reputed to be less than 200 lighthouse keepers in the world to keep sailors and ships safe.  I hope they know what they are doing!

 

Italy's Last Manned Lighthouse

From Italy’s Punta Carena Lighthouse painted pompeian red, 
we watch the sun sink into The Tyrrhenian Sea with some dread.
A magnificent beast, stone steps carved from lava taken from Mt. Vesuvius,
the feeling she gives this visitor is astro-new-vious.

An implied reverence, an unknown feeling, leaves me bit shaken.
Every day, eighty-eight lighthouse keepers on these steps has taken,
a walk to the top, to give the sea a good luck, to save lives, a life that is hard.
To watch bottle nose dolphins and sperm whales, and alert the coast guard

The azure sky smiles at Punta Carena, loving the knowledge their friend Carlo is there.
He has mastered the lighthouse keeper’s job, and swings the beacons without a care.
He has faithfully walked these steps, every day, even after knee replacement surgery.
In his spare time he uses water colours to paint the beautiful seascapes, and writes poetry.

I believe earthquakes are hitting during our visit, but he smiles at my unfounded fears.
Just tremors he tells me, can you smell the sea? And I can;  I can feel it's soul,  over the years.
Carol D’Oriono, whose home has been this lighthouse for thirteen years will be gone in three weeks.
Replaced by an electronic board, which will not know how to look for what a human seeks.

As I took in this gorgeous view, unique in every single way, words flooded my soul, don't you know?
I really wanted to beg the Italian's last lighthouse keeper  to not leave this place, to never ever go.


Written:  12-16-2018
Contest:  Lighthouse Poetry Contest
Sponsor: Eve Roper

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M. L. Kiser December 17, 2018 at 9:26 PM A sad loss...to lose one's job to automation...I'm afraid that it's going to be that way with most jobs soon. Good luck in the contest.