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A single girl walked the shadows
all alone, but she was not scared
dressed as a young boy,
she was to become a mandolier
Suddenly a head of curls stopped her on her path
A boy,
with real funny clothes
all alone in the city of masks
She showed him the way to where she had wanted to go
He was now wearing her prior outfit
She was dressed in girl clothes
Then he was taken,
to be one of them,
Arianna was angry
but not at him
He was handsome
And brave, she soon found out
When he came back
As rolfolfos apprentence
two and a half years later
she loved him
but did he her
That's what she wanted to know
So much had changed
Her mother was dead- but not really
Her father apprentincing him
He died in his former world
Then he kissed her that fateful night
And they were soon to be wed
the duchesse and her fathers old apprentince
Arianna and Licianno
Her mind spun back to the first night
When he stopped her in her path
And she knew now
They were never alone, in the city of masks.
——— Emily
ARIANNA - City of Masks
I was the Figlia dell'Isola
At least I thought I was
Until one day
My world was turned upside down
I was arrested for braking the Bellezzan law
Only to find I hadn't.
One visit from the Duchessa
Changed my life for ever
"Arianna," she said. "I'm your mother."
Those three words: "I'm your mother"
rushing through my head -
It couldnt be true.
Valeria was my mother
A few weeks later I'm here
sitting in the Duchessa's palazzo
The woman I now know to be my mother
believed to be dead
although i know she's not
my father and my best friend by my side.
I'm expected to rule this city
But I dont know where to start.
Life was simpler on Torrone
when all I wanted was to be a mandolier,
——— Sian
The City of Masks
Among blue waters,
A city stands.
A city of islands,
The City of Masks.
Mandoliers, smiling,
Invite you into
A charming mandola
In the City of Masks.
So go on, explore,
Cherish your time
"Where beauty wears a mask,"
In the City of Masks.
——— Ysabella Di Vaco
Carnival
Now is the time for laughter,
Put your cares and worries behind,
Grab a mask and find a partner,
To soothe your savage mind.
Become an artist, or a beggar,
Or a king all clad in blue,
Come with me and watch the show
Where the fun waits for you.
Here are the fireworks; come and see!
There's the ram all glittering white!
Look at the beautiful goddess who
Is shining in the night!
Too soon it is over,
We must go our separate ways,
I hope to see you through the year
And the next Carnival days.
——— Leonarda Ze Maria
Shadows
I dedicate this to all who walk in the shadows because you are afraid to see what your own shadow hides
lurking behind the shadows
wary eyes watch
seeking out its quarry
the girl who walks in shadows
Eyes are watching
Everywhere you go
You are not safe
Anywhere you go
lurking behind the shadows
a mind reels
who is that girl?
the girl who walks in shadows
You think you know
But there is much more
You cannot ever see
How much the story hides
lurking behind the shadows
a cold heart beats
watching that girl
the girl who walks in shadows
Questions and Answers
Truths and Lies
Do you believe it?
Can you see it?
lurking behind the shadows
a slow breath draws
I know that girl.
the girl who walks in shadows
I do not know what she is thinking
I do not know what she is feeling
what she sees
what she knows
lurking behind the shadows
hand clasps sword
watching that girl
the girl who walks in shadows
I know your secret
I can see your heart
It is beating faster than it has ever
Just like mine
It is beating faster than it has ever
You know not where you are
Where this is
This strange place
You heart is beating faster
It is unreal
It cannot be real
A fairy-tale, thats all it is
But that does not explain
Why your heart beats so fast
Why are you here?
The girl who walks in shadows.
——— Aliaa Misaco, a lover of mary hoffman and the stravaganti's beautiful and mysterious world
Remember Venice
By the lagoon
Hold my hand
Lookout over the world
Lookout over Venice
As the sun setts
In blurred painting
Remember our lives
By the lagoon
Hold me here
Lookout over Venice
Out over our lives
Remember the sun setting
In blurred painting
Remember the blue lagoon
Remember as we look
Out over our lives
Remember Venice.
As the sun setts
In blurred painting.
——— Gabriella
Blackbird in the Sky
Once upon a time,
long, long ago
There was a horse named Starlight
who gave birth to a foal
She gave birth at midnight,
with the last ring of the bell.
We should have known it was a sign,
though at the time, we could not tell.
This foal, a filly
was no special thing;
Until we realized
that she had wings!
We named her Merla
and she lived up to her name.
Soon she was flying,
with wind in her mane
I flew her once, up in the sky
while many looked on with gawk and awe.
I felt like Bellerophon on Pegasus,
and none believed what they had saw.
Soon she will become a myth,
as few can truly believe.
That there could ever be,
As fine a horse as she.
——— Liara
The Silent Stravaganti
It was a humid June day in London. It had been close for a few days now, there was definitely a storm on the way. Although for now, the raging sun blaze d high over the city, and into the small attic window of a terraced house. It shone on to the sleeping face of a seventeen year old girl, with long wavy chestnut hair fanning around a blemish-free face and very fair skin. Her eyes flickered open, their colour was most peculiar, a sort of grey-violet.
She begrudgingly sat up, realising the time, it was 7.00am, and her mother would need to go to work soon, which also happened to be the school the girl attended. Her name was Clare, and she'd lived in London her whole life, although her mother was Spanish and her father Italian. She watched the crowded rows of cars below, already heading to work.
Horns beeped, engines roared and the occasional pigeon cooed over head. Clare | 
