| SAN MARTINO
Di Giosuè Carducci La nebbia agli irti colli Piovigginando sale, E sotto il maestrale urla e biancheggia il mare; Ma per le vie del borgo Dal ribollir dè tini Va l’aspro odor de i vini L’anime a rallegrar. Gira sù ceppi accesi Lo spiedo scoppiettando: Sta il cacciator fischiando Su l’uscio a rimirar Tra le rossastre nubi Stormi d’uccelli neri, Com’esuli pensieri, Nel vespero migrar. |
MARTINMAS
By Giosuè Carducci The mist towards steep slopes rises As the rain comes trickling down, And under northern breezes Roars and whitens the sea; But along the city streets From fine fermenting bins The savoury smell of wines Permeates the soul with glee. Spinning over logs alight Skewers ablaze and sizzling: The hunter pauses whistling Beside the threshold to see Among the reddish hazes Flocking birds as black as night, Indistinct as thoughts in flight, T’wards the setting sun they flee. Translation by ©Matilda Colarossi |
Giosuè Alessandro Giuseppe Carducci was an Italian poet and teacher. He was very influential and was regarded as the official national poet of modern Italy.
Translating a classic isn’t easy. Translating Carducci may even be impossible: Metonymy, synesthesia, alliteration, anastrophe, simile, are the names of the various devices that fill the text. And then, of course, there is the content, the story behind the devices, the colours of the night sky that it leaves with us….M.C.
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parallel texts: words reflected 