Paries quid ama

Program Note: CIL 4.5296 is an unfnished love poem found graffttied on a hallway in Pompeii close to the city center. Most scholars suggest the poem was written by a woman for another woman. Some suggest it was a poem copied incorrectly by the author or a form that combines lines from different poems. The eighth line is understood to be a reference to Ovid or a fake signature added on by someone else. Perhaps the author never has the chance to fnish or was caught vandalizing the wall.
This piece is a stark reminder that lest we take action to reduce the impact of climate change, the most beautiful thing, human connection, will be destroyed by natural disasters like the volcanic eruption that destroyed Pompeii. If we fail, countless love stories will be left unsaid.