Murano Glass
By: Charles Giuliano - Feb 06, 2022
Murano Glass
After eight centuries
Murano glass factories
Running out of gas
Prices spiked
Covid and global crisis
Family in Venice
Summer of 1956
Me and little Sis
The fabulous Pip
At elegant Europa
On Grand Canal
Breakfast on terrace
Grand vistas
Santa Maria della Salute
Concierge offered
Free gondola ride
To Murano Island
Tour and demonstration
Exquisite artisans
Rods in furnaces
Glowing globs
Exotically blown
Then the showroom
Suave salesman
Mom skeptical
Looking about
A vast array
Drooping chandeliers
Gobs of baubles
Tacky tchotchkes
Not quite right
What would madam like
She described
Her heart's desire
An artist sketched
No not that
How about dolphins
She was asked
Many variations
Must be
In pale green
Like Vaseline glass
From Sandwich
She collected
Finally agreed
Six wine goblets
Dolphin stems
Decanter to match
Took months to arrive
A wooden crate
Carefully opened
For Sunday roast
A lively toast
Then washing up
Table cleared
Glasses in dish washer
Terrible mistake
Such delicate ware
Didn’t fare well
Just half survived
Tops came off
Three dolphin stems
Never used again
Crazy Americans
Awash in memory