Il Campanaro†

Throughout Christendom, the church is the symbol of God and the bell’s tolling summons the faithful.  Therefore, it is no exaggeration to say that the bell is the tongue of God.

There is also the famous Italian parable of the Christian monk known as il Campanaro.  Each day he chimed a silver bell as the sun crested the horizon and again as it dipped below.  So delicate was the chime that it’s said a sparrow would not stir at its tolling.

There was not one day when il Campanaro failed to toll the bell.

Along with this parable, there is the saying, ‘Da molto tempo mori il Campanaro.’‡

She had gone with a man to his room at the Villa Rossa in Mestre.  He told her about Fossalta and the bombardment of the trench, yet her fingers felt a lingering silence.

It wasn’t unusual for men from the front to confide in her – to confess to her – while she caressed them.  And, lying with her, perhaps they found forgiveness.

It was as though she herself had been at the front.

The man who had been shelled at Fossalta began to handle her roughly.  It was then she thought of il Campanaro and the silence of the silver bell lay deep within her heart. 

† the Bell Ringer

‡It has been ages since the bellringer died.

*Published in Glossolalia