Piazza Navona

     My tired eyes close easily, leaving me in the dark, so that I can tune into the sounds of the busy Piazza Navona. I know I am not in Saratoga Springs anymore because I can hear the sounds of a city. Rome, like most cities, is bustling and alive with movement. Compared to the first time I did the Momentary Blindness exercise, I am surrounded by people from around the world instead of inside my office space listening to Skidmore employees. My body melts onto the street curb, the cold pavement surprisingly is more comfortable than I expected. My white, creamy cardigan protects me from the cold breeze that hits my back. The sun, when not hidden behind the thick clouds, is able to warm my back however the chilly wind continues to attack my bare ankles. 
     Within the Piazza, I am sitting on a street curb facing Sant'Agnese in Agone. The water from the Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi is the first sound I hear from behind me. The water, dripping off the sculptures hits the basin of the fountain with such force that I feel like I am standing near a waterfall. Milling around the Piazza Navona are people, with the hum of voices concentrated in front of the fountain but also spread out around the Piazza. After only listening for a few minutes, I hear Italian men talking, an American family strolling by and a French couple taking a walk. Everyone has their own agenda, some people moving through the space with their voices disappearing quickly, while others can be heard lingering in the Piazza. The lyrics of Frank Sinatra’s, “I Love You Baby ” is being sung behind me by a man with a heavy yet smooth Italian accent.
    His voice fades quickly as I hear the sound of traffic. From outside the Piazza, impatient drivers in their cars can be heard with their engines speeding up, getting faster just to fade into the distance until the sound of the engine disappears. People are walking on foot, but I also hear tire wheels of bicycles gliding against the cobblestone. A stroller makes its way across the street in front of me however the heavy wheels loudly clank across the uneven cobblestone.  A baby’s piercing cry interrupts my train of thought, and I open my eyes for a few seconds to write down what I am hearing. I close my journal, stand up and join the group of Skidmore students, only to add more movement and noise into the busy Piazza Navona.

(Piazza Navona, 05/22/2019)