IN THE SHADOW OF VESUVIUS’ TOWERING MIGHT, WHERE ANCIENT RUINS BEAR WITNESS TO A CATACLYSMIC EVENT FROZEN IN TIME, WE STAND IN SOLEMN REMEMBERANCE OF THOSE WHOSE LIVES WERE ABRUPTLY EXTINGUISHED, FOREVER CAPTURED IN THE EMBRACE OF FIERY FURY.
IN THIS HALLOWED GROUND, WHERE ONCE VIBRANT STREETS HUMMED WITH LIFES CEASELESS SYMPHONY, WE HONOR THE SOULS WHO MET THEIR FATE BENEATH LAYERS UNFORGIVING ASH. THEIR STORIES, HOPES, AND DREAMS FOREVER ETCHED IN THE ANNALS OF HISTORY, REMINDING US OF THE FRAGILE TAPESTRY OF HUMAN EXISTENCE.
HENRY ’24
TO ALL OF THE BUGS WE’VE MET ALONG THE WAY; NO MATTER IF I’M MMMM FEET UP MOUNT VESUVIUS, OR ON A BOAT BETWEEN SICILY AND THE MAINLAND, YOU NEVER FAIL TO FIND ME. XL FEET CYPRESS TREES AND HONEY POTS IN GARDENS WILL NEVER APPEAL TO YOU MORE THAN MY BLOOD. YOUR BEADY EYES AND LIMBER LIMBS CLIMB UP MY ANKLES, AND SO MANY OF YOU HAVE MET YOUR ENDS AT THE BOTTOM OF MY NIKE SNEAKERS. THIS INSCRIPTION WAS DEDICATED BY HYDROCORTISONE AND DEET.
LOTTIE ‘25
A DEDICATION TO SISTER ANNA
OF THE URSULINE ORDER
WHO CARED FOR US DURING OUR STAY IN ROME
AND PRAYED FOR RAIN WHEN THE HEAT WAS BLAZING THROUGH THE CITY
HER PRAYERS WERE ANSWERED
AS WE TRAVELED AROUND
AND THE RAINDROPS FELL HEAVILY
MAKING MEMORIES FOR ALL
HER CARING SMILE GREETED US EACH MORNING
WITH A BUONGIORNO AND A HELPFUL TIP
HER MOST GRACIOUS PRESENCE HAS BLESSED US ALL
JO ’24
TO THE MANY MARBLE STATUES WE SAW:
NO MATTER HOW HARD I TRY THE ART OF SCULPTING MARBLE, WHOEVER MODELED
HERCULES KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING. AND I RESPECT THAT.
GENESIS ‘25
TO ROMAN RAIN STORMS:
THEY WILL FALL IN REMEMBERENCE
AS THE MOST UNPREDICTABLE,
SPONTANEOUS, HEATWAVE BREAKING,
AFTERNOON EVENT.
MAY THEY STAND AS THE OPPORTUNITY FOR
FIVE EURO UMBRELLAS,
METROPOLITAN AWNINGS,
AND STROLLS IN A LEAF GUARDED PARK.
MARGARET ‘24
TO THE RIACE BRONZES
BOTH ORIGINAL, OF REGGIO DI CALABRIA, MOST BREATHTAKING
AND REPLICAS, OF CHROMA AT THE MET,
MOST COLORFUL.
TRANSCONTINENTAL CONNECTIONS
MOST ENLIVENING
YOUR METALLIC STARES ACROSS THE OCEAN
BRING THE ANCIENTS TO LIFE
TESSA ‘24
DEDICATED TO MY SNEAKERS
INFINITELY RESILIENT, LUSCIOUSLY SOFT AND COMFORTABLE, ETERNALLY TRIP-
PROOF,
SOMEHWAT MANAGEABLY WATERPROOF, OF THE MOST BRILLIANT VIBRANT
OBNOXIOUS BANANA YELLOW COLORING,
FOR THEIR SIXTEEN-DAY TRIUMPH IN THE CONQUEST OF THE VICIOUS PATHS OF
ITALY.
CONQUERED WERE THE HILLS AND SCORCHING SUN OF SEGESTA, SELINUNTE,
AND AGRIGENTO,
THE RUGGED SLOPES OF VESUVIUS AND THE WINDING PATHS OF POMPEII AND
HERCULANEUM,
THE RELENTLESS ROADS OF ROME AND THE ENDLESS CROWDS OF THE VATICAN.
HERE LIE OUR BRIEF MOMENTS OF PEACE
A SHAKY YET DROWSY BUS RIDE, SLAYED BY A DESTINATION THAT CAME TOO SOON;
A LONG-AWAITED REST BENEATH AN UNFAMILIAR ROOF, SLAYED BY AN EARLY
BREAKFAST;
A SHADY RESPITE BESIDE A TEMPLE COLUMN, SLAYED BY THE SUN’S CELESTIAL
MOVEMENTS;
SILENCE AT THE LEAF-COVERED PARK, SLAYED BY A CALL FOR DINNER.
THOUGH YOUR TIMES WERE SHORT, YOU SHALL LIVE ON IN OUR MEMORIES
ETERNAL.
OSCAR ’24
TO ALL OF THE CAFFEINE WE’VE HAD IN THE MORNINGS, AFTERNOONS, AND NIGHTS
THE BEST ADDICTION,
OH WHERE WOULD WE BE WITHOUT YOU
YOU COME IN SO MANY DIFFERENT FORMS, EACH ONE SO DEARLY LOVED AT THE
RIGHT TIME
THE FOAMY GOODNESS OF A CAPUCCION AT BREAKFAST
THE KICK OF A MACCHIATO AFTER LUNCH
OR THE BITTER SWEETNESS OF AN ESPRESSO SOAKED TIRAMISU
OH THANK YOU FOR THE GRACIOUS PICK-ME-UPS IN THE MOST DIRE TIMES
AND FOR THE MOST ENERGETIC BUS RIDES
OH THANK YOU FOR JUMP STARTING MY MORNINGS
AND GETTING ME THROUGH THE AFTERNOONS
AUSTIN ‘25
TO TRIP LEADERS
YOUR GRACE, FAST-PACED THOUGHT,
AND HUMOR BOUGHT OUR HEARTS
BITTERSWEET MEMORIES.
TO THE MOST INCLUSIVE AND CONNECTED GROUP.
FROM ADULT TO TEENAGE
FROM DISAGREEMENT AND LAUGHTER.
TRIUMPHS AND DISAPPOINTMENTS.
THE PERSEVERANCE OF CLAIR MIEHER.
THE KNOWLEDGE AND PATIENCE OF DAN HOUSTON AND ANNA DELWICHE.
I PAY RESPECT AND THANKS.
GRAZIE MILLE.
ALEX ‘25
DEDICATED TO ITALIAN FANTA
FOR YOUR YELLOWISH AND WATERY HUES
FOR PUTTING THE ORANGES IN ORANGE SODA
FOR ACCOMPANYING EVERY MEAL
FROM DIAVOLA PIZZA
TO CARBONARA PASTA
WITH THE CRISP POP OF THE WAITER
TAKING THE CAP OFF YOUR GLASS BOTTLE
AND WITH THE REFRESHING TASTE
OF YOUR BUBBLY ORANGE SWEETNESS
A SIP OF THE ARTIFICIAL NEON POTION
WE CALL FANTA IN THE STATES
WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO MATCH YOUR CALIBER
PREYAS ‘24
TO THE CEILINGS
PICTURES DO NOT COMPARE TO THE NECK ACHING BEAUTY. EACH SURFACE
COMPILED GOLD, PAINT, ILLUSION, AND MORE. SOME USED MIRRORS, BUT IT WAS
WORTH THE HARSH NECK ARC FACING UP TO TAKE IN EVERY ENCHANTING INCH OF
YOUR SURFACE.
HOUSTONIUS NOSTRIS VIATORIBUS S.P.D.
ANTE DIEM XVI KALENDAS IULIAS
ANNO MMDCCLXXVI AB URBE CONDITA
DISCITE OMNIA
VIDETIS POSTEA NIHIL ESSE SUPERFLUUM
CURATE ATQUE VALEATIS
ROMAM REDEATIS
HOUSTONIUS CLARAE S.P.D.
AUT VIAM INVENISTI AUT FECISTI
AVE ATQUE VALE
DR. HOUSTON
