The Stone Mason's Notebook Paperback – May 10, 2016
by Carmelo Militano (Author)

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Ekstasis Editions (May 10, 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 66 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1771711604
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1771711609
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 5.6 ounces

The poem 'The Keys' create an unique and memorable experience during your visit to old aunt's convent.

After lunch we visited your old aunt
surprised to see moss
between cobble stones in the convent courtyard
fat black keys on the wall
‘What on earth could they be for’ you asked
then your Aunt’s excited voice, ‘avanti, avanti’
from the tin speaker funnel beside the door.  (p. 21 The Keys)

It seems an interesting afternoon after visiting an old aunt! The sight of moss growing between cobblestones in the courtyard of the convent is not uncommon, as the damp and shaded environment provides a suitable habitat for such plants.

As for the fat black keys on the wall, this could be for various purposes. Aunt's excited voice coming from the tin speaker funnel beside the door suggests that she was expecting you, and was eagerly waiting for your arrival. "Avanti, avanti" means "come in, come in" in Italian, so it is likely that your aunt was urging you to enter the building. 

We notice a natural movement of the lines in the poem 'The Sky':

And maybe it is the way the sky is pale blue today
when all the little girls of Cosoleto
Wore navy smocks tied with wide white bows
And marched, arms stiff swinging
To the beat of left, right, out of the classroom
To hear the speech celebrating Italy’s new colony.
She remembers staring out the window from her desk (p. 29 The Sky)

The little girls of Cosoleto wearing navy smocks tied with wide white bows and marching with stiff arms to the beat of left and right suggests some kind of organized event or ceremony. The fact that they were leaving the classroom to hear a speech celebrating Italy's new colony suggests that this was likely a patriotic or nationalist event.

The line "she remembers staring out the window from her desk" implies that the speaker was a student or observer of this event, rather than a participant. It is unclear what the speaker's feelings or thoughts were at the time, but the contrast between the innocent appearance of the little girls and the political nature of the event they were attending could be seen as ironic or disturbing.

Overall, this brief description paints a vivid picture of a specific moment in time, but leaves many questions unanswered about the context and significance of the event.

Carmelo Militano as a poet has an extraordinary union of intellectual which is clearly reflected in the poems.

Reviewed by Ruchi Agarwal