After a childhood spent on a small farm, William S Bradshaw joined the US Army and spent the majority of his adult life traveling the world, writing short stories and book manuscripts, and reading nearly everything he could get his hands on from Homer, to history textbooks to the latest commercial fiction. After retiring from the military, he began pursuing other opportunities by writing poetry and screenplays, and touring the world as a civilian with his wife, along with whom he has fallen in love with small, unheard-of towns and villages in Italy. William now lives with his wife and youngest child in rural Virginia.
Il Ponte del Diavolo
O’er Natison’, twin vast arco
‘Cross mighty gorge. ‘Yond ken of men,
Devil’s pow’r lent, and built, in sin.
Italy join’d: Rome’s fire, North’s snow.
Julius, here, built far borgo,
“Guard, Cividal’! ‘Gainst Barbaro!”
Abaddon’s price, one soul to win.
Il Ponte del Diavolo
Its views, splendors d’Italia show,
Cascades of color and hist’ry flow.
To prove, despite his wicked yen,
That Satan failed one life to pin,
There, soars l’amor’ in ev’ry soul.
Il Ponte del Diavolo
Poetry in this post: © William S Bradshaw
Published with the permission of William S Bradshaw