The incident at the center of this cycle of poems is Italian painter Gentile Bellini's sojourn to Istanbul in 1479. Poems undulate out from this event and carve plaintive sculptures that explore the themes of art, archaeology, and the idea of cultural transmission. These insightful contemplations are delicately honed by the author's own experiences in Turkey, ultimately fashioning a personal mirror to history, reflecting the landscape of self. Lillias Bever's work has appeared in "Poetry," "The Gettysburg Review," "New England Review," "Seneca Review," "Pleiades," and others, and has been featured on "Poetry Daily," She has been a resident at The MacDowell Colony and the Millay Colony for the Arts and is a recipient of a Seattle Arts Commission award and a literature fellowship from Artist Trust/Washington State Arts Commission. She lives in Seattle.