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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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Marjane Satrapi, rest in peace

I really do not have words: it is so terribly sad news. Marjane Satrapi has suddenly died at 56 today, heartbroken ("morte de chagrin") a bit more than a year after her husband (the love of her life) Mattias Ripa's death. May they both rest in peace. Dear Marjane, you will not be forgotten! Thank you for Persepolis and all your art and your heart. Vera da Pozzo 4th June 2026 True love: Marjane Satrapi and Mattias Ripa. Credits for the images: Marjane Satrapi, Mattias Ripa and

An Innocent Scent

The Wind can make You shake, but The Rain cannot steal your Scent God bless You, my Innocent Rose, For Beauty and Love and all those Invisible, yet so Valuable Things For which my Soul smiles and sings Vera da Pozzo, Paris, 3rd June 2026 Poem above and picture below by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #AnInnoventScent #rose #flowers #soul #joy #beauty #love #poetry #photography #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmea

More Good News

You do know when I need good news most. The 12 inch is on its way to the Fnac shop, and the announcement of a newer album which will be recorded in January is great newsn Yes, I know that you are 116 years old: you told me in Catania and you made me laugh. I do not know why do people feel the urge to speculate about people and situations they absolutely do not know, but I think that "bitchcraft" is a brilliant trouvaille and it fits to the fester crashing bores I ignore at wo

Let me sleep in the deckchair

Let me sleep in the deckchair Now that the burning day is over And a gentle, fresh breeze blows: I enjoyed the concert so much And now the courtyard wants me to rest Happy and safe under the horse chestnut Vera da Pozzo Paris, 30th May 2026 Poem above and pictures below by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #letmesleepinthedeckchair #poetry #music #relax #goodvibes #life #IrishCulturalCentre #JuneCarousel #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMin

Buona guarigione, Carmen! Get well soon!

Ciao Carmen, buona guarigione! A presto! Vera da Pozzo, an Italian in Paris Paris, 30th May 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #CarmenVandenberg #getwellsoon #buonaguarigione #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #Italyismineanditowesmealiving

Jeanne and Fatma

On this day, I want to pay a homage to two great women: Joan of Arc, in French Jeanne d'Arc (Domrémy, 6 January 1412 - Reims, 30 May 1431) and Lalla Fatma N'Soumer (Ouerdja, 1830 - Tablat, 1863), two heroines whose parallel lives in different epochs and countries fascinate me. Double portrait of Jeanne and Fatma, drew by me with a black Bic pen (always without preparatory sketch) and few shiny gel pens. First pictures of my drawing taken without flash; the second one taken wi

Seanchoíche

A fantastic experience tonight, at the Irish Cultural Centre. Thanks to Gaff for his humour, his kindness and the good vibes: it was a great night and I am happy and proud to have managed to write down my story just two hours before the start, sitting in the tranquil, peaceful and lovely courtyard of the Irish Cultural Centre, a locus amœnus where all the Good and Beautiful Things gather. Photos by me. Thanks to the other storytellers and the nice and lovely people who were t

Mysterious Ways

I don't know how You know When I've had a awful day Or a very sad one But You always find a way To cheer Me up And make Me smile To YOU Vera da Pozzo Paris, 27th May 2026 Today's post on Morrissey Central is exactly what I needed.Thank you from the heart of my bottom, Silver Boy... See you in a month! Short 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 #MysteriousWays #feelingbetter #gratitude #music #Makeupisa

Wise Advice

A wise advice from a Friend Below: picture taken by me yesterday in my beloved park. Vera da Pozzo Paris, 24th May 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #WiseAdvice #life #freedom #love #SheilatakeaBow #TheSmiths #Morrissey #JohnnyMarr #music #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

Friday Rejoicing - Happy Birthday, Silver Boy

Why?... ... Because! Happy Birthday to YOU Vera da Pozzo Paris, 22nd May A. D. MMXXVI Article, artwork and photographs by me, as always. Drawing made on Morrissey's birthday, in the quiet and lovely courtyard of the Irish Cultural Centre, after an interesting literary conversation with Kevin Barry - see photos below. The security guy let me stay in the courtyard after the closing time. I love this place so much and I visit here as often as I can that I am somehow considered a

Happy Bee-Day

Like a Bee, You are Honey and Sting: So Fragile, yet so Tough Towards Yourself and The Ones who love You most Happy Birthday Even if you hate It Open your Smile and Let the Honey fall today From the Clouds so far away To the Unique and Irreplaceable One Vera da Pozzo Paris, 20th May A. D. MMXXVI Poem above and pictures below by me, of course; photos taken somewhere in Paris. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #HappyBeeDay #birthday #

Happy Birthday, Charles "the Singing Fool" Trenet

To me, Charles Trenet is THE French singer and songwriter, the one who put Poetry and Popular song together and also the most beautiful French singing voice. If my plans had worked as I had intended, I would have moved to Dublin instead of Paris, but, even if I have always had more affinity with Ireland (and the UK) and English language, I have like French language too and I have always been fascinated by the old good time when France still creates artists, poets, great singe

A Fresh and Sunny Morning in my Park

The immense joy to be where I belong: strolling for almost two hours in my beloved Parisian park, enjoying the good company of my Friends, taking some pictures and then sitting in a quiet place, taking a coffee, writing a bit on my diary and also on my blog before starting to work (correction de copies) with plenty of good vibes. Fresh Air, Sun, Trees, Flowers, Birds and Bees are a blessing. A lovely Bee landed on my right arm and stayed there for a while. I did not move and

I shall overcome

A very rainy day, especially in the afternoon, but this morning I had the chance to enjoy a one-hour promenade in my beloved and deserted Parisian park. How I was glad to enjoy to be there in complete solitude - but not alone, because there are hundreds and hundreds of friends in leaves, petals or feathers who are happy to meet me again. While I was peacefully walking, suddenly a verse, then another, came to my mind and I wrote a short poem on a tissue, with the help of my de

Life blooms in front of cemetery gates

I can't help noticing Beauty everywhere, wherever I am, even in front of cemetery gates - i. e., school gates. Photos below taken by me somewhere far from Paris. Vera da Pozzo Paris, 13th May 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #Lifebloomsinfrontofcemeterygates #life #flowers #nature #beauty #photography #whatreallymattersinlife #wisdom #peace #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

No better day than today

I can spend a whole day strolling rather than scrolling: the extremely large and alarmingly increasing amount of people of every ages who have become zombies terrifies me. I have never had a mobile phone before 2014 and I was looked at as a weirdo (I am still seen like this because of my fierce refusal of the social media) and I use the smartphone more to take pictures and videos and to listen to the music. [To be continued later... I sing tonight] Vera da Pozzo Paris, 10th M

In your Arms (Festa della Mamma / Mother's Day)

Tree of Life I am Safe In your Arms To the Unique and Irreplaceable One Vera da Pozzo Paris, 10th May 2026 Short poem above and photos below by me. My beloved tree and many beautiful flowers from my favourite Parisian park. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #inyourarms #FestadellaMamma #MothersDay #poetry #photography #mamma #mother #love #nature #TreeofLife #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

It's Time to sing and shine

Cabaret tonight. I am going to take a walk in my beloved park for some relax and inspiration - Nature is my Muse - and then I will get ready and go to the Magic Place where some Unexpected Good Things come True. Vera da Pozzo Paris, 8th May 2026 Updated post with some pictures. I was very happy that some friends living far from Paris were there and also glad that the everything went well. Despite the holiday and the long weekend, the bar was packed like it was last year, whe

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