With most of Italy still in the red zone the chances of far-flung sightseeing trips are non-existent. However, many local places of interest can happily be included on our exercise walks in the comune of Bagni di Lucca.

The other day I walked to the hamlet of Pieve di Controni situated at the end of a spur projecting into the Lima valley. The hamlet is built around the church of Santo Stefano di Bargi and consists of two very picturesque sections, each with some quite fine houses.

One section is above the church.

The other spreads below it.

The hamlet’s parish church

The interior has a nave with two aisles. There is a stone baptismal font of medieval origin and an organ by Michelangelo Crudeli from 1774. You can find photos of these beautiful features in my post at:

In front of the Pieve is the hamlet’s original cemetery. It still retains a few tombstones including one, now practically unreadable, of a local priest who did missionary work in Mesopotamia, now Iraq.

It also contains the hamlet’s war memorial.

The number of local dead who gave their lives in two world conflicts from such a tiny place is harrowing; especially regarding the number who perished in the disastrous Russian campaign.

The new cemetery is at:

The bell tower was built at the end of the 19th century. I describe my precipitous climb up the tower at:

Because of its location at the end of a long spur the Pieve enjoys spectacular views both up and down the Lima valley.

We are so lucky to be able to exercise ourselves in such picturesque surroundings. I just hope the claustrophobic existence so many inhabitants have to experience in Italy’s cities as a result of the pandemic won’t have to last very much longer.

However, the Pieve di Controni’s memorials to its dead reminds us all that we are still very far from being out of the woods in the present world health crisis:

Easter 2021

The city sits solitary that was once full of people –
empty piazze, cathedral and cafe doors shut –
A lone cat treads on frigid roofs and miaos for fish
while the vigil of the night is accomplished
in deserted churches darkened by curfew.
Within our most private dreams
an empty tomb sits guarded by slumbering soldiers
and no one watches.
*
Towards the east, above the hills, the Goddess dawns,
golden light seeps through still bare branches;
women gather by the displaced stone
and fresh leaves unfold in expectancy
of hope and rebirth in dis-eased earth’s unburdening.

The birds commence their morning anthem,
deer rustle through the forest undergrowth,
and all lamentation is discarded
like a torn mantle, like a dried tear, like fear itself
while Paschal bells ring out clear and loud
‘Christ is risen, truly He is risen.

FLP

Pasqua 2021

La città è solitaria che una volta era piena di gente –
le piazze vuote, le porte della cattedrale e dei bar chiuse –
Un gatto solitario calpesta i tetti gelidi e miagola per del pesce
mentre si compie la veglia della notte
nelle chiese deserte oscurate dal coprifuoco.
All’interno dei nostri sogni più privati
una tomba vuota è custodita da soldati addormentati
e nessuno guarda.
*
Verso l’est, sulle colline, la Dea sorge,
la luce dorata filtra attraverso i rami ancora spogli;
le donne si raccolgono vicino alla pietra spostata
e le foglie fresche si schiudono in attesa
di speranza e rinascita nell’alleggerimento della terra malata.

Gli uccelli iniziano il loro inno mattutino,
i cervi frusciano nel sottobosco della foresta,
e ogni lamento viene scartato
come un manto lacerato, come una lacrima secca, come la paura stessa
mentre le campane pasquali risuonano chiare e forti
‘Cristo è risorto, veramente è risorto’.