The church seems to be wearing an earring, the ornate lamp hanging over the steps. Lake Bled in Slovenia captivates its visitors with the bluest water I’ve ever seen, the picturesque mountain backdrop, and the free wishes granted by ringing the bronze bell inside this church on the teardrop-shaped island. According to legend, a gold bell was commissioned for the church by a widow, in memory of her husband. It sank during a storm on the lake, and so the one hanging in the church is a younger one. I’ve been working on a poem about this place, hoping to catch some of the resonance of those sister bells.