Salvatore Quasimodo takeoff -- Sunday mini-Challenge

Street in Agrigento

 

On the main street of Agrigento, old Agrigentum, traffic came to a halt.  We were being overtaken by a herd of sheep.  Sheep not yet shorn, moving from morning pastures wet and green to the windswept native grasses of the valley, brown and wilting in the sun.
 
I followed those sheep while we were stopped.  They stopped at the fountain, people parting so they could drink of the cool waters, each one of them.  Then they picked up the pace, not daring to loose site of their herder and his crook.
 
They were still perky from their sleep last night, under the moon and stars there on the prairie grasses soft.  They knew not the cares of the world, not the prices of wool or mutton, not even of the latest levy by the Cosa Nostra
 
Rather their minds were on those walking in Grecian times down those lemon tree lined streets then much slowed.  Wagons and carts, no smell of singed gasoline or diesel fumes.  The same sun and moon as today, wet morning pastures, still, with browning dried prairie grass.
 
When the traffic started moving again the driver picked me up whistling his cheery noonday tune, not wary of my reminiscing with the dawdling sheep.  Wet morning pastures he didn't know nor of soft prairie grasses turning brown.  Same today as in olden time.


.

The old saying is "Like sheep,

we have all gone astray."

[click the picture to see it bigger]

[or even bigger, click here]

- Photo and Poem Copyright, © 2006 and 2014 Jimmiehov, All Rights Reserved

-  I am linked with Grace, aka Heaven, at the Real Toads, Sunday's Mini-Challenge: Salvatore Quasimodo found here.
 
- Again, on Monday I linked it with Magaly at the Real Toads, Open Link Monday (link)

 - Grace's challenge is to "write a new poem or prose poem in response to Salvatore Quasimodo's words.   Some examples of responses include affirming what the speaker said or using his title or line of verse as a jumping board for your own writing.   The prompt is wide open so feel free to explore where your muse takes you."

 - I chose Salvatore's poem, Street in Agrigentum, (link) as a starting place for my muse to become aroused.  You can scroll up or down at the linked site to read this and some of his other poems.    

 - Agrigento (link) is a small town in Southwestern Sicily.  Ruins of old temples of the old town, Agrigentum, are just outside the more modern town, I've been there. My picture was taken in Carleone, Italy. The home of the famous Italian Mafia has been there for quite a while. We spent one day in Carleone back in 2006. The sheep were following our bus until they decided to go around our slow traffic.