Villa Cavaletti
To the wonderful team of Villa Cavalletti, the House in Rome and the Urfeld Kreis with love from Yair and Michal (October, 1996).
The following poem was inspired by our visit to the "Villa", and by our renewed meetings with the people of the Integrierte Gemeinde there. Only those who visited the Villa, absorbed its spirit, watched the sunset from the top of the hill and walked amongst the olive trees and vineyards – will understand what it is all about. We came, experienced its wonders and fell in love.
An Ancient Folk Legend
Yair Palgi, October, 1996
There are those who say that mothers in Ancient Roman times used to softly sing this lullaby to their children at bedtime, in a mysterious old language:
Beyond the mountains of darkness
And iron gates so old
Is hidden somewhere deep within
The wondrous garden of God.
And only His ministering angels
And the silent winds of eve
Are whispering His name there
In a prayer of truth that all believe:
Cavalli-ii-ii
Cavalla-aa-aa
They greet each other as they pray,
Until we solve the riddle
We will not know the right way.
There, amongst the olive trees
and the fertile vineyards
They faithfully serve
the magic garden of God.
From morning till evening
Their work is never ended
As the garden has lain dormant
For many years, untended.
Cavalli-ii-ii
Cavalla-aa-aa
They greet each other as they pray.
Until we solve the riddle We will not know the right way
Our hearts will surely miss a beat
If we pass through the iron gate–
The garden's beauty spreads before us
Both wondrous and great.
And only the winds of evening
And God's Angels cast their spell
As His name is sweetly whispered
On the arrival of Gabriel:
Cavalli-ii-ii
Cavalla-aa-aa
They greet each other as they pray
During our climb up the hill
We shall still find the way.
For years the villa stood alone
At the top of the rolling green Hill.
For empty years it stood there
With no spark of love or goodwill.
At long last this very house
Has donned a halo of white.
Once more within its walls
Whispers of love bring light:
Cavalli-ii-ii
Cavalla-aa-aa
Villa Cavalletti it is called;
As we gaze into the heavens Our riddle will be solved.