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Italy is mine

... and it owes me a living

Art and Nature, music and literature, animal and human rights, freedom of thought and speech, kindness, culture and education without boundaries.

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Vera da Pozzo, an Italian expat in Paris.

From the Island of the Sun to the Isle of France.

My pseudonym Vera da Pozzo is a pun alluding to what I care about most : truth and loyalty, depth and insight. In my mother tongue, the syntagma "vera da pozzo" means a puteal, but it could be a female name followed by a family name. Water is indispensable for living, and we need to keep it pure and unpolluted; it is the same for truth.
I write in English because I love this language since my childhood and also because English allows me to have a more detached view on both Italy and France. The title of my personal website and blog is a paraphrasis of the verse "England is mine and it owes me a living", from Morrissey's song "Still Ill", released in The Smiths debut album "The Smiths" on 20th February 1984. As Italy had nothing to offer to young people like me, I decided to throw my arms around Paris, as Oscar Wilde did, and I am still here. Like francophone actor Lino Ventura, I am and I will always be Italian.

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Thunderstorm

I am waiting since this Morning Watching how the Lightning Strikes Are ripping up the Doomy Skies Thunders' roars are approaching They urge the Rain to fight Fate But the Sleeping Rain is late I've been waiting all Day long For the Thunderstorm to boom Now the Rain drowns the Doom I can sing my unsung Song Let my Message unfold To the One I do behold Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 20th August 2026 Poem above and pictures below by me, of course. (C) Vera da Pozz

One month ago

If Time passes My Happiness Cannot vanish And I'll cherish All my life long The very Moment In your Song That We spent Shaking Hands For a while Smiling Friends You and I To YOU Vera da Pozzo 19th August 2026 Poem by me, of course. Below: detail of a picture taken by a French friend. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #onemonthago #shakinghands #smilingfriends #beautifulmemories #goodmemoriestocherish #happiness #joy #friendship #mus

Speranza, Isola and Oscar

I have just retrieved a 2019 article about the finding of rare pictures of "Speranza", Jane Francesca Agnes Elgee Wilde (1821-1896) and two of her children: her only daughter Isola Francesca Emily (1857-1867), who died few weeks before her tenth birthday, and her second and most famous son Oscar. Below: the photographs mentioned in the 2019 article linked above. Two literary projects I had to shelve - the first one in 2016, the second one in 2023 - crave for my attention, and

Happy Update

Good news from Morrissey: both 7-inch are on their way and they will be released on Oscar Wilde's birthday. After another failed attempt to have a chance to get my first passport, I did need some good news and (only God knows how) I knew that I would find them on Morrissey Central. I hope Bonfire of Teenagers will be released next year, before of after the new album announced two months ago. Below: two photos by me. Detail of the door of a church whose name and location I pur

Quiet, Peaceful Wisdom against Stupid, Violent Rage

A thought and an artwork by me, followed by some quotes by great people from the last century related to my reflections. In most cases, what drives people to spend all their time and energy in the attempt of ruining other people's lives by defaming, harassing and bullying them is not just envy, but a desperate need to fill their inner void, because they are unable to do something worthy and meaningful in their own lives. Vera da Pozzo, 18th August 2026 Below: a drawing I made

Sixteen Months

Sixteen Months is a long Time Longer than Eternity And the Distance is so far Huger than Infinity Like a Black Hole in my Dreams I cannot see your Shadow I cannot hear your Echo I have no Consolation To the Unique and Irreplaceable One Vera da Pozzo 17th August A. D. MMXXVI Poem above and photo below by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #SixteenMonths #poem #poetry #photography #memory #totheUniqueandIrrepleacebleOne #VeradaPozz

To be an Italian expat is a Kafkaesque Situation

Italy is mine and it owes me a living... and a passport for going to the United Kingdom. I could blame the UK for the ill-advised vote for Brexit, which, in the end, caused more problems than offering solutions to the UK citizens and, moreover, punished European citizens who worked and paid taxes in the UK, but who had temporary contracts (their bosses, as in Italy or in France, preferring a system of short-term contrats periodically renewed) and thus they were compelled to l

From Whispering to Howling

At last, a fresh Air Is whispering tonight: Long and Thin Fingers Running through my Hair, Gentle, Loving Lips Slipping over Me (Oh, You!) Suddenly, the Wind Is howling at my Window: All the Secret Passion, Now unfolded, Rushes in my Silent Room And your Whisper Sounds like Thunder And I cannot sleep To YOU Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 16th-17th August 2026 Notes: I felt your Presence today and I dreamt about You last night. Poem and notes by me, of course. (

A Prayer for your Mother

I prayed for your Mother This morning, my Friend: It's all I can do, and I hope This tiny bit of Sweetness Will find a way to reach You And caress your Sadness To YOU Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 13th August A. D. MMXXVI Poem above and photos by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #aPrayerforyourMother #prayer #mother #poetry #photography #memory #sadness #sweetness #friend #toYOU #VeradaPozzo

Eclipse

The Sun may be eclipsed by the Moon But No One can eclipse You in my Mind To YOU Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 12th August 2026 Short poem above and photos below by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #Eclipse #Sun #Moon #poem #poetry #photography #noonecaneclipseyou #toYOU #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

Back to Bic

It has been a while since I drew something: the flu robbed me a lot of time and energy. Today, I am back to Bic - i. e., the classic quatre couleurs ballpen - and here is my new artwork: a portrait of Morrissey before the concert in Zurich, five months and four days ago. As usual, I made this portrait without preparatory sketch. Vera da Pozzo 11th July 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #BacktoBic #ballpen #art #drawing #artwork

My Mind knows no Distance

My Mind knows no Distance My Heart is never far I feel all your Sadness And I gently hold You In my loving, loyal, Lambent, lulling Arms Be strong, my Friend, Because You are; and May the Night of the Dead and falling Stars Give You Consolation And make You feel my Arms To YOU Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 10th August 2026 Poem above and photo below by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #MyMindknowsnodistance #min

Happiness to share

Sunday's Wisdom. Photo taken by me this morning, Somewhere in the North of Italy. Happiness is true when it is shared. Real Happiness is shared. Vera da Pozzo 9th July 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #SharedHappiness #TrueHappiness #RealHappiness #happiness #together #SundaysWisdom #Wisdom #friendship #love #photography #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

Serenade

Is it You under my Window Singing a serenade for Me In disguise, tonight? This gentle Cricket reminds Me Of You, my dearest Friend: So Shy, yet very Brave, As I am Myself I wake up around five And the Sun is still far While the Morning comes But the Little Troubadour And his chanson d'amour Still hang at my Window And I hear your Voice To YOU Vera da Pozzo 7rh-8th August 2026 Poem above and photo below by me, as always. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine an

Dreaming about Flowers, dreaming about You

You came to Me again last night -- Birds of Paradise, vivid blue t-shirt - And here You are again, with your Smile And your wondrous, beautiful Eyes, Enlightening the Night and my Dreams With the Purest Joy that You always bring Even in the Darkest Depths of Sorrow When the Soul seemed too frail to fly high To YOU Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 6th-7th July 2026 Poem above by me - as always, without Artificial Idiocy. Pictures below by me, taken yesterday in th

Il Gigante è morto / The Giant is dead - In memory of Francesco Guccini

There was a time, long before I was born, when Italy had artists who really knew what really meant to be a protest singer and songwriter: among these people, the first and the greatest was Francesco Guccini (Modena, 14 June 1940 - Pavana, 6 August 2026). Francesco Guccini was indeed, artistically and not just physically, a giant; all his life and throughout his long career, he believed in the power of songs to make the people reflect upon social and political questions, take

May the Night be Quiet

May the Night be Quiet Without Fever nor Worry And the Crickets' Love Song Let Me sleep and dream along Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 4th August 2026, 10:59 P. M. Poem above and photo below by me. A solitary cricket I have met in the morning. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me #MaytheNightbeQuiet #poem #poetry #night #quietness #peaceofmind #health #

Speak up!

Above a small "post no bill" sign, someone has left a very clear response: "Muri puliti, popolo spento" which means: "Clean walls, dull people" Small post and photo by me, as always. Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 3rd August 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living. #speakup #postnobill #cleanwalls #muripuliti #dullpeople #popolospento #censorship #freedom #freedomofspeech #Italy #democracy #photography #VeradaPozzo #It

Shared Feelings

I don't know why, but I feel what You feel And I hope You will hear My soft Voice tonight Whispering from the distance: "Your Melancholy is mine " And I hope You will feel My tiny, tender Hand Gently holding Yours. To YOU Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 2nd August 2026 Poem above and photo below by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #SharedFeelings #fromthedistance #friendship #feelings #melancholy #softvoice #gentl

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