[Close your eyes.
Breathe out three times.
See yourself in a large mansion.]
I'm on the second floor on a verranza.
There's a low stone ballustrade with small columns
that are just high enough to make you feel secure,
but low enough to see
into a field of olive trees
that stretch to the horizon.
The floor I am standing on has a pattern of small tiles.
I descend the back staircase.

[Note everything you see and feel.]

It's a spiral staircase.
It's difficult to navigate,
but it can be done.
I can feel the coolness of the stone.
There's no dust, it's clean stone.

[Then see yourself ascending the front staircase.]

The front steps are broad and on three levels.
There are long rectangular stone flowerpots on each level.
There are 10 - 12 steps at each level.

[Again note what you see and feel and when coming to the top,
what do you find?]

I turn and look out on a vast vineyard of grapes.
They are full and ripe and ready for picking.
I laugh because I know these grapes are for wine
that I will never partake of because I do not drink.
But I laugh anyway, struck
by the sheer beauty of the vineyards,
the rows and rows of grape vines marching
up and down the rolling hills
in the afternoon sun.

[Open your eyes.]

Han-hua Chang
8/9/06

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Copyright ©2006 by Han-hua Chang.