Salvezza

Guido Gozzano

.
Vivere cinque ore?
Vivere cinque età?…
Benedetto il sopore
che m’addormenterà…

Ho goduto il risveglio
dell’anima leggiera:
meglio dormire, meglio
prima della mia sera.

Poi che non ha ritorno
il riso mattutino.
La bellezza del giorno
è tutta nel mattino.

 

Salvation

Guido Gozzano

.
That I live five hours?
That I live five lives?…
Blessed are the slumbers
which, from somnolence, arrive…

With relish I viewed her,
my soul, awaken light:
better to sleep, better
before my night.

Then forever gone away
is the laughter of the morn.
The beauty of the day
belongs only to the dawn.

.
Translation ©Matilda Colarossi

Born in Turin on December 19, 1883, Guido Gozzano was a poet and writer whose literary success came early in life: at the age of 24 he published his first book of poems, La via del rifugio, Turin, 1907, which was followed by I colloqui, Milan, 1911; I tre talismani, Milan, 1914; and – published posthumously – Verso la cuna del mondo, Milan 1917; La principessa si sposa, Milan, 1918; L’altare del passato, Milan 1918; and L’ultima traccia, Milan, 1919. He died of tuberculosis at the early age of 33.

The poem is from the collection I colloqui.

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