Mormanno, Calabrian mountain town
A sunset private poetry-reading on the ruins of an 11th-c. Norman castle in Calabria? An unplanned pre-dinner treat on the drive down to Sicily last August. We’d booked a night at the Agriturismo Aria Fina near Mormanno – on the border between the regions of Basilicata and Calabria – to break up the long drive from Assisi to Palermo. The castle ruins towering over nearby Morano Calabro seemed deserted as Pino and I explored there just before dinner. Well, almost deserted.
Poet Mario reads his poetry to Pino
We crawled out of a stone passageway of the castle ruins and found a group of 4 men chatting in dialetto calabrese as they leaned against a rampart wall.
A balding one in plaid shirt introduced himself – Mario was his name – and also his two brother (one was visiting from Germany, where he’d immigrated – home on vacation along with his son). And a local friend. And then he asked us if we’d enjoy hearing his poetry lauding old Morano traditions – in Calabrian dialect.
Who could refuse? (Who would want to!?)
Pino – who grew up speaking sicliano – understood all of it, clearly enjoying Mario’s passione. I was moved by the entire experience: the poetry at sunset on a Norman fortification ruin, read with such passione by an elderly “local” as his brothers and nephew – and a couple young Calabrian tourists at the castle – listened with such thoughtful respect.
I have a treasured memento of that experience: Mario gave me a signed copy of his book of poems.
Read about our agriturismo during this trip
