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Ruth Holzer

Castelvetrano

We turned inland from the southwest coast, climbing into the hot hills. The guidebook had warned against stopping in Castelvetrano, a place both uninteresting and dangerous, but we checked into a hotel there anyway, attracted by its ornate lobby. My travel companion began asking questions about the one taboo subject: the bandit-hero Salvatore Giuliano, who was betrayed and killed here. The old men poured more brandy to keep him going. In the morning he had a hangover and I went to Selinunte by myself.

shattered columns—
among goat dung
the head of Apollo