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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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Do You hear Me? (Poem for a Friend)

I am so Far, Yet so Near: Do You hear My Soft Voice Whispering In your Ear? My Dear Friend, Please don't mind: There's no End And You're Fine. To YOU Vera da Pozzo Paris, 7th November 2026, 1:30 A.M. Saturday Morning. Neighbours loudly quarrelling for no reason: as I could not sleep (I hate in general people talking loud, quarreling and screaming, and I hate it even more when it happens in the night time) I took my phone and wrote this poem for a friend... ... and when I fini

Empathy for an Insect

Yesterday Alcatraz was very calm because of the strike ("la grève, ce luxe bourgeois", as I often say, and I hope I will have the time to explain why in the next weeks) but during the last hour two girls were scared by an insect on their table: I told the girls to calm down, because there was no danger at all (99% of bugs are not harmful and they fear humans) and that they just should move to another table, while I would guide the insect outside through the window. I helped t

Ladybird Willpower has a Message for You

Sing and Shine tonight in El Paso, Fantastic Bird! Your Light never goes out. Be happy! :) To YOU Vera da Pozzo Photographs below taken by me today: a lovely Ladybird (Willpower) climbing very fast my dear Sophora Japonica. This lovely, tiny Creature wishes Morrissey a successful show tonight. :) Maybe the seven-spotted Ladybird thought I was a giant spotless Ladybird... Who knows? :) Below: a little drawing made by me for tonight's Morrissey's show in El Paso: Begonias, gre

Walking on a Golden Carpet

The Trees leave A Carpet of Leaves Autumn Gold Can't be sold For it's a Joy To behold If You are A Pure Soul Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 30th October 2026 Poem above and photographs below by me. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #WalkingonaGoldenCarpet #GoldenCarpet #trees #leaves #autumn #nature #poem #poetry #photography #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

There is always a way

... when there is a will. Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 28th-29th October 2026 Photographs below by me; I resized the first one for privacy reasons. Above: the smile of the Shining Sun, defying the Clouds Turmoil. Below: despite the cold autumnal wind, a brave Red Rosebud stands firm. I could say more about the image below, but YOU get the general idea. :) Short article and photos by me, of course. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It o

Here comes the Sun

Please, don't worry about me Don't ask me about Paris: I'm doing fine, taking time, And - for just a little while - I want to forget Paris And enjoy just being alive. Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 26.10.26 To an Italian guy who worries about me because of the Puppets' Riot and has sent me three e-mails in two weeks. He certainly will not read this poem, as I jealously keep my blog behind a curtain of mystery: I do not talk about it and the decision to express

Sancta Sanctorum / Holy of Holies / קֹדֶשׁ הַקֳּדָשִׁים

A beautiful modern Tabernacle with Doves and Deers drinking at the Fountain of Life. Photo by me, taken today, after praying. As I could not come closer, out of respect, even if I was completely alone in the church and God would not have denounced me to the parish priest, I zoomed and struggled to take a quite good picture. A Ray of Light Straight to my Heart... Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy 23rd October A. D. MMXXVI (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Ita

Molte grazie! Many Surprises on a Lovely Sunny Day... and More Good Things to come

My Soul, let's go and enjoy This lovely Sunny Day For the Pouring Rain Will fall again tomorrow And even if I love the Rain And her Dancing Drops I come from the Sun's Home And I Iove his Warm Light more. Vera da Pozzo Somewhere in the North of Italy, 22nd October 2026, 1:30 P. M. A beautiful classic song in my head... Blue Skies shining at me: Nothing but Blue Skies do I see. Bluebirds singing their Song: Nothing but Bluebirds all day long. This morning I had a long walk and

Good Morning to You... Sing and Shine Tonight in Louisville

Morning has broken: starting a new day with a deep, beautiful song written in 1931 by Eleonor Farjeon on Bunessan, a Scottish Gaelic tune, recorded in 1971 by Yusuf / Cat Stevens. It rained a lot yesterday, during the late afternoon and evening, and it rained even more all the night long: I love the rain and I slept very well. Early this morning, while I was finishing and posting my poem and article dedicated to the Charolaises Cows I saw from the train last Saturday, the sky

Eighteen Months - A Dove from Above

Eighteen Months without You Never will I get through But I know, I do know When I see a White Dove It is You from Above And I stop feeling low. To the Unique and Irreplaceable One Vera da Pozzo On the rails 17th October A. D. MMXXVI Poem and detail of the artwork above by me. I drew it on my diary early this afternoon in Paris: it is more a sketch than a proper drawing because I had a very short time before leaving the Ville Lumière, but I love the non finito effect and also

Fascists, hands off Francis!

Francis' presumed portrait, painted by the great Medieval maestro Cimabue. Assisi, Basilica di San Francesco. Francis of Assisi (Francesco d'Assisi, born Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone, circa 1181 - 3rd October 1226) was named patron saint of Italy by Pope Pius XII on 18th June 1939, during the Fascist dictature and almost one year before the declaration of war to France and England by the Screaming Bald Bully and the Grim Moustached Dwarf. Now, on the eigth centenary of Saint

Day of Rejoicing

Photograph taken in my beloved Parisian park this morning. It is a lovely, bright day to enjoy and be grateful for Life. I took many other pictures and the space in my smartphone is getting fuller and fuller again, but I choose to post just this photo before going to the (for once...) Vegan Place de la République. The lovely Bumblebee on the Morning Glory (blue Ipomœa) followed me under the green canopée of my dearest Sophora Japonica and danced around me. This is the Day the

Promenade with a Friend

Gizmo is always happy when he see me and I cuddled him. I chatted with his human friend, a nice lady who asked me news about the blocus and then we talked a bit about the situation in France and in Italy, until I received a call from my dear friend M. from Bordeaux. I do not spend a lot of time on the phone, but I do enjoy a long chat with a good friend from time to time. M. is vegan and I met her and her husband in Dublin three years ago, at Morrissey's concert. Even if we d

A New Friend

Despite the waste of time going from Paris to Alcatraz and back, I had a lovely day and I found a new friend in my lovely Parisian park and we enjoyed lunchtime together. Article and photographs by me, taken in my dearest locus amœnus, just before going to four-letter word. [To be continued...] Vera da Pozzo Paris, 29th September 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #anewfriend #europeangreenwoodpecker #woodpecker #picusviridis #pi

Gabriel, the Gentle Rock

Gabriel, my favourite Angel: God's left hand and the Gentle Rock, the One who brings Good News to Good People of Good Will. Drawing below made by me with a black Bic pen last Sunday; I coloured it with shiny gel pens this morning. The image of a Gentle Rock makes me think of a very well-known Smiths' song (here in its live version from the beautiful concert at the 3Arena in Dublin that started Morrissey's 2025 Summer tour) because Kindness is Strength. Today's drawing is for

Going through where you do not know (Saint John of the Cross / Juan de la Cruz)

Back from Alcatraz, early this afternoon, I took this photograph in a very unbeautiful Parisian spot, where I found, nonetheless, Beauty and Poetry in a White Dove. These last times I often see doves like this one, and I know they are messengers of Good Things to come. The Shiny White Dove walking and the Dark Black tramway tunnel made me think about Saint John of the Cross (Juan de la Cruz, born Juan Yepes de Álvarez, 1542-1591), a Spanish priest and Carmelite friar, born f

Pink Light

Sunset on my beloved Parisian park. Photos below taken by me today. Vera da Pozzo Paris, 24th September 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #PinkLight #light #pink #nature #park #Paris #sunset #birds #beauty

You'll never walk Alone

Photo taken by me near Hell's Gates, far from Paris. I am the only human being who has noticed how the tree behind the gates and the magnolia outside want so bad to reach for each other. Vera da Pozzo Paris, 22nd September 2026 (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #youllneverwalkalone #trees #friends #trees #friendship #nature #photography #toYOU #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

Good Afternoon to You

Whatever happens, my Friend, I'll always think of you kindly. To YOU Vera da Pozzo So far, yet so near 18th September 2026, 22:22 Micro-poem above, added article [update] and photos are all by me, as usual. Below, picture taken this afternoon: one of my favourite spots in my dear Parisian park. [Update on the same day - evening in Paris, France - afternoon in Chicago, Illinois] So, just after posting my message, I took a look at Morrissey Central and I found this post. I do l

Like a Dove

My Love Is like A Dove: Pure and At ease In the Sky But so Shy On the Ground Vera da Pozzo Paris 12th September 2026 Short poem above and photo below by me. Picture taken today after a very long, happy promenade in my beloved Parisian park. (C) Vera da Pozzo (C) Italy is Mine (C) Italy is Mine and It owes Me a Living #LikeaDove #dove #love #nature #poetry #photography #VeradaPozzo #ItalyisMine #italyismineanditowesmealiving

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