Sicily

Leave the islet, abandon the blizzard, get to the belly of the smoking mountain every night.

Incandescent sparkles rise to the sky, light up the islands and rivulets of fiery lava dazzle the dark sea. A picture of flames and the Tibetan shaman follows the path among craters of extinguished volcanoes, of caves and white beaches between hidden coves to reach the valley of Temples.

by Melina Palumbo

Melina Palumbo ( Pseudonym of Teresa Carmina Cusano) was born in Ruviano (province of CASERTA) in 1955 and spent her childhood in Adelaide in Australia. She returned in Italy at the age of thirteen and continued her studies; in 1982 she graduated in Modern Foreign Languages and Literature with first-class degree (110 e lode) at the Oriental University Institute of Naples. She won the competition for Assistant of Italian Language abroad (on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and taught in Scottish schools for a year. Now she lives in Arce (province of FROSINONE); she is an English Language teacher and she taught in Italian Middle Schools until September 2019 when she retired. She dedicates herself to cultural and volunteer activities. She has always written poetry. Her other hobbies are theatre, music and dancing. In March 2000 she published for Spring Edizioni (Caserta) two texts of poems, “SPIRAGLI” and “FEELINGS” (lyrics in English), in 2021, Silent Love, with F. Guzzardi.

PROJECT "IN THE SEASONS OF OSTUNI: PATHS AND EXPERIENCES OF TASTE, CULTURE AND TRADITIONS"

P.S.R. Puglia 2014/2020 Measure 16 - Cooperation. Operation 16.3.2 “Creation of new forms of cooperation for the development and / or marketing of tourist services”. Beneficiary "Le Stagioni di Ostuni Limited Liability Consortium Company". www.svilupporurale.regione.puglia.it