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
Copyright ©
Caren Krutsinger
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