An Italian Blessing
Bordered by seas
crisscrossed by mountains
watered by rivers, lakes and streams
drenched by sun.
May the land sing songs of blessing to you.
Senses spellbound
heightened forever by genius . . .
Dante, Davinci, Michaelangelo,
Puccini, Toscanini, Enrico and Luciano.
May the artists sing songs of beauty to you.
Proud offspring of continuous civilization
deeply tied to tradition
passionately attuned to family, faith, food and wine
openly warm and affectionate,
decidedly spirited and quick to forgive
intuitively friendly, kind, tenacious, poetic and wise.
May the people sing songs of love to you.
--Rita Costello, HM
crisscrossed by mountains
watered by rivers, lakes and streams
drenched by sun.
May the land sing songs of blessing to you.
Senses spellbound
heightened forever by genius . . .
Dante, Davinci, Michaelangelo,
Puccini, Toscanini, Enrico and Luciano.
May the artists sing songs of beauty to you.
Proud offspring of continuous civilization
deeply tied to tradition
passionately attuned to family, faith, food and wine
openly warm and affectionate,
decidedly spirited and quick to forgive
intuitively friendly, kind, tenacious, poetic and wise.
May the people sing songs of love to you.
--Rita Costello, HM
A few days after I returned from my study-abroad term in Italy, I went over to my
mother-in-law's home to return the English/Italian translation dictionary that she had kindly lent me to use on my Italian adventure. I also was eager to give her the apron that I purchased for her in Positano (it had a green and white striped pattern with pretty, yellow lemons on it--perfect for an elderly mother of Italian descent who still enjoys cooking). As I was placing the book on the nightstand in her bedroom, as instructed, the above poem caught my eye. It was in a dull, pewter, standing picture frame, behind glass. I picked it up and read it, and immediately related to it. I had just returned from the land bordered by seas and crisscrossed by mountains and drenched in sun! My senses were spellbound by the art, culture and history of the land! I was proud to be of Italian heritage and had passionately embraced their traditions of family, faith, food and wine! I had felt the warmth and affection and kindness and friendship of the Italian people! During my study-abroad term in southern Italy, the land sang songs of blessing to me, the artists sang songs of beauty to me, and the people sang songs of love to me!
I am sure that I had three Italian angels with me on my journey in southern Italy. I sensed that my great grandfather, Emil Maiese, was near. In fact, I'm sure that he was because we were in his city of Naples. Emil boarded a ship and emigrated to the U.S. in 1917 at the tender age of 15 years old. He had $5.70 in one pocket and the address of his sponsor in Scranton, PA, in the other. He declared his occupation as a tailor on his immigration papers and worked as a tailor until his late 80's. I'm sure that his daughter, my grandmother, Louise Maiese Lamberta, was guarding over me as well. I especially felt her presence on the day we visited the furniture store in Sorrento. I have five small, triangle-shaped, inlaid wood tables that she purchased in Sorrento in 1965. I had always admired them, and when my grandmother passed away and her things were distributed among family members, it was agreed that I should have them. While speaking to the owner/artist of the furniture factory regarding my grandmother's tables, I "had a moment". I became very emotional, and I think it was my grandmother telling me, "I''m here and I purchased the tables here and I'm glad you have them and are enjoying them as I did." The third Italian angel that came along with me was my husband's grandmother, Grace Barbera Pino. She was a sweet and warm lady and a great cook and I always enjoyed going to visit her in Bridgeton, NJ, where she settled when she came to the U.S. as a teenager. She would tell stories of walking to the town square in Palermo, Sicily, as a young girl. It was her job to draw the water from the well in the town square and carry it back to the family home. I don't recall how far she had to walk with the bucket of water. She also told us of how she obediently married the young man that her grandparents had arranged for her to marry in her late teens. The marriage to Salvatore Pino lasted 65 years and they raised seven children.
I am sure that I had three Italian angels with me on my journey in southern Italy. I sensed that my great grandfather, Emil Maiese, was near. In fact, I'm sure that he was because we were in his city of Naples. Emil boarded a ship and emigrated to the U.S. in 1917 at the tender age of 15 years old. He had $5.70 in one pocket and the address of his sponsor in Scranton, PA, in the other. He declared his occupation as a tailor on his immigration papers and worked as a tailor until his late 80's. I'm sure that his daughter, my grandmother, Louise Maiese Lamberta, was guarding over me as well. I especially felt her presence on the day we visited the furniture store in Sorrento. I have five small, triangle-shaped, inlaid wood tables that she purchased in Sorrento in 1965. I had always admired them, and when my grandmother passed away and her things were distributed among family members, it was agreed that I should have them. While speaking to the owner/artist of the furniture factory regarding my grandmother's tables, I "had a moment". I became very emotional, and I think it was my grandmother telling me, "I''m here and I purchased the tables here and I'm glad you have them and are enjoying them as I did." The third Italian angel that came along with me was my husband's grandmother, Grace Barbera Pino. She was a sweet and warm lady and a great cook and I always enjoyed going to visit her in Bridgeton, NJ, where she settled when she came to the U.S. as a teenager. She would tell stories of walking to the town square in Palermo, Sicily, as a young girl. It was her job to draw the water from the well in the town square and carry it back to the family home. I don't recall how far she had to walk with the bucket of water. She also told us of how she obediently married the young man that her grandparents had arranged for her to marry in her late teens. The marriage to Salvatore Pino lasted 65 years and they raised seven children.
Here's a picture of the tables that I inherited from my grandmother. The owners of the store in Sorrento confirmed that they were made there (I sent this picture to them when I got home). They said that the design is one used at their factory in the 1960's. They also confirmed that the triangle tables were sold in sets of six, so I'm missing one (only these five were in my grandmother's house-not sure what happened to the sixth!).