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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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In Itinere / On the Way

Back from the soirée karaoke, trouble with transports, found an alternative to get back, but I will be late and I will have another short night, as I have got to get up very early tomorrow... ehr, today; and my message for a very Special Friend is still in itinere... Vera da Pozzo Paris, 27th-28th September 2026 Below: photo by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #initinere #ontheway #messageinitinere #messageforaspecialfriend #fr

Standing firm, and More messages to cheer me up

Standing firm A Hard Day's Night But it's all right Far from the Fight Mr. Shankly Standing blankly Is so frankly Unanointed Disappointed And Disjointed For I resist And rise my Fist And still persist Vera da Pozzo Paris , 23rd September 2026 Poem above and photo below by me. Beauté en banlieue. Even in the ugliest places I can find Beauty, like this shiny Moon at 8 P. M. When I was finally back to Paris, I felt I would have found more messages to cheer me up, so I had a look

It's already Tomorrow

It's already Tomorrow in Paris And there is Something I have to tell You... Sing and Shine And be Fine Tomorrow Night To YOU Vera da Pozzo Paris, 22nd September 2026 Short poem by me. I was so tired by my very long day that I fell asleep just in the middle of my writing, and I finished it two hours later, when I woke up because l was thirsty. Photo below taken this morning (the only day when I do not have to wake up too early and rush to my four-letter word place) during a ve

A Promise is a Promise

Yesterday I came early to the bar and I left very late because we made a toast (I just took an apple juice; I drink alcool on rare occasions) for Y. who leaves the bar for new, exciting adventures and who also wished to celebrate his birthday with us. Y. is a talented artist and a nice person; it is a pity that he hates Morrissey "because of his views", but bad, biased press, combined with social media shitspreading, is a plague. As I arrived early, I could sing thrice. My fi

Bravo for braving it out at Riot Fest

Looking for news about Morrissey's concert at Riot Fest yesterday, I have found a very embarrassing article (a non-compte-rendu) written by someone who knows very little about Morrissey and his music and repeats ad nauseam the usual Moz-bashing topoi, as if the hostile message written on the fence of the Riot Fest was a "proof" that Morrissey should be banned, and implying that, if he is still invited at festivals and allowed to go on stage, it is "just" because he still has

A new start

Morrissey's tour in the United States starts tonight at Riot Festival, Chicago, IL. Sing and shine and be happy, Silver Boy! Enjoy the US tour with your band, your crew and your fans. See you in the Old Europe. True to You, Vera da Pozzo Paris, 19th September 2026 Exactly two months after the wonderful concert in Cernobbio and all the beautiful memories I dearly keep in my mind. Below: drawing made by me with a black Bic pen, without preparatory sketch, as always. I took my i

Maria Callas and Elvis Presley

Two great singing voices and tortured souls died in 1977: Elvis Presley on 16th August and Maria Callas on 16th September. I was not yet born at that time, thus, to me, Elvis and la Callas have always been shining in the Dead Stars Constellation, whilst their voice and their art are eternal. Last Sunday I drew a double tribute to Maria Callas and Elvis Presley on my diary: I started from Maria's portrait, then I drew the portrait of Elvis and, since they both are in black, I

Coincidence

A Morrissey's song with a fan made video featuring James Dean, posted by Morrissey Central on the anniversary pf Pier Angeli's death. You were Good in your Time, from Years of Refusal. 2009, the year when I finally saw Morrissey in concert for the first time. It was such a long wait. Vera da Pozzo Paris, 10th September 2026 Below: black-and-white Bic ballpen portrait of James Dean and Pier Angeli made by me after a very lovely, long walk in my favourite Parisian park. This po

Another Anecdote

Today I had a day off before another journée de pré-rentrée (I will not bother trying to translate this expression in English, because it is just nonsensical French school jargon, as we are already at work since yesterday morning) and on Thursday morning pupils and teachers will be back on the chain gang. At least, kids are not boring and, even when they are difficult, they are still human. After visiting Oscar's (and Robbie's) tomb, I started my brand new diary and enjoyed o

An interesting article about Morrissey's gig in Cernobbio

Too busy today, I just took a brief pause and a quick look at Morrissey Central after lunch, and I was pleased to find a new post with the link to an interesting article, written in English and posted yesterday on Medium by Jo Gabel, an Italian female fan who attended Morrissey's concert at Villa Erba in Cernobbio. Besides the obvious and necessary cinematographic mentions to Anna Magnani and Luchino Visconti, there are many literary references which speak mostly to well-read

Messages to cheer me up

This afternoon, on Morrissey Central, a post with a short article about the making of Morrissey's eight studio album Ringleader of the Tormentors (2006) recorded in Rome twenty-one years ago, with a nice picture and a tiny, funny message of thanks to Jed Weitzman. The title of this post, You must please remember, is a reference to the second song (the first one is Nobody loves Us) on the B-side of Dagenham Dave, which was released as a single on 21 August 1995, seven days bef

In Memory of a Mystery: Tim Curry (1946-2026)

Such a sad coincidence: on the same day than Dolly Parton, Tim Curry (1946-2026) is dead, too. I wish to remember him with this short interview by CBS, posted on YouTube just two weeks ago: "The life and mystique of Tim Curry", and an extended version, posted on CBS YouTube channel in October 2025. The sad news of Tim Curry's death came to me from Morrissey Central. There are no words, indeed... I hope Tim Curry will find his beloved father, who died when he was just ten, and

It goes without saying, but it deserves to be said... and to be heard

I have found and read this article today and I am glad that Morrissey has read it, too. As I am not on IG, I have no idea of what is the link below the article: I will ask a French friend about it later. [Update: the IG reel is a video of a young bloke who plays the vocal part of This Charming Man on the bagpipes] About the article, I do not understand why the author expresses surprise and curiosity about the Gen Z enjoying Morrissey's music and attending to his concerts: I d

The very best part of America has gone - In memory of Dolly Parton (1946-2026)

There are people who should never die, and life is an absolute pigsty when it deserts them, as it is the case for Dolly Parton, a complete artist and a whole human being, whose integrity, talent, humour and strong personality represent the very best part of America, i. e., the United States. I wish the POTUS (I hate to even mention his name), who was born in the same year than Dolly Parton, did more than paying a tribute to her and followed her example: she was much more than

It was a month ago

It was just a month ago and it already seems an eternity... Barcelona, BARTS Festival: my last concert of Morrissey's Summer Tour. The awful flu I caught during the travel back to Italy stole me ten days and plenty of energy, thus I still have to update my article about the concert. Summer holidays are on their way out and I will enjoy these days the most and the best I can, in a peaceful place. Whatever the Hell happens in my life, I will stand firm. See you in December, my

99 years ago - In memory of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti

Red leaves announcing new roses to bloom. Photo taken by me this morning, in memory of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, Italian immigrants and anarchists, who were unjustly charged with armed robbery and murder and sentenced to death after a long, biased and irregular trial. Sacco and Vanzetti spent seven years imprisoned in Charlestwon prison in Boston and, despite many worldwide popular manifestations demanding their release, they were sent on the electric chair on 23r

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

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

Porto sicuro - Sing and Shine tonight, Fantastic Bird!

So far from Portugal And so stupidly ill When Summer hits And the Heat burns I cannot even rest Near the Ocean there is What I miss the most: Fresh air, Sea Breeze, Peace And a Fantastic Bird Sing and Shine tonight, my Friend! I wish I was there in blod and flesh But I'll be, somehow, beside You To YOU Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 1st August 2026 Porto sicuro means "safe haven" in Italian, but Porto is also the name of the city where Morrissey will give the l

Beautiful Memories from Barcelona

[Still ill - this awful flu is not over...] I was waiting for more pictures of the fantastic concert at BARTS Festival in Barcelona (SER took plenty of photos of Morrissey and his band) and I am glad to see that many photos have been posted today on Morrissey Central. Below: screenshot of the beginning of the post with the first photo. Link to the post above. Tonight, in Porto, the last concert of the European Summer tour will take place. How I dearly wish I was there! Vera d

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