A Fulbright Scholar and Doctoral graduate from the University of Pisa, Maria Xenia Wells Zevelechi spent her career at the University of Texas at Austin. Her academic books include: The Ranuzzi Manuscripts, Italian Post-1600 Manuscripts and Family Archives in North American Libraries, The Italian Collections across the Centuries: Literature, Art and Theater, and Aldine Press Books at the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center. She has published articles about ancient manuscripts, modern Italian authors, dialect poetry, art and Puppet Theater. The World Catalog Identities confirms 15 works in 36 publications in two languages held in 363 libraries worldwide. The Italian Government awarded her the title of Cavalier in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic. She has traveled extensively to conferences in the US and Europe and explored the countries of Morocco, Turkey, Peru, Russia. After retiring from Academia, Maria embraced poetry. Her first poem, "Memories in Silver" was inspired by a friend's painting and written while in Paris at a meeting of Poets and Writers. A member of Austin Poetry Society, Maria first published some of her poems in the Austin International Poetry Festival publication di-verse-city 2020. She gives readings in Austin, Paris and Greece. With two daughters, five grandchildren and the memory of a loving husband who encouraged her to see anything as possible, she lives in Austin, Texas and often visits family in Italy and Greece.