#Loss #War #Lestweforget
| 1944 Attilio Bertolucci Se l’anima indignata e dolente ritorna ai vostri cari tetti distrutti e smarrita s’aggira nell’ora delle cicale, paesi maledetti, paesi benedetti, accoglietela ancora. Lasciatela piangere amaramente… Voi non aveste che fuoco, fumo e il silenzio di vecchie donne dimenticate anche del roco conforto delle preghiere, impietrite entro le gonne. Le fiamme degli incendi sono spente per le valli quiete nella luna, i muri bruciacchiati hanno un odore così forte, se si muove l’aria e gli impiccati oscillano nell’alba dorata e funeraria. | 1944 Attilio Bertolucci If outraged and woeful the soul returns to your dear demolished roofs and lost it roams at the hour of the cicadas, towns damned, towns blessed, welcome it once more. Let it weep bitterly… You had nothing but fire, smoke and the silence of old womenfolk forgotten even by the hoarse comfort of prayers, petrified in their frocks. The flames from the blazes are out in the quiet valleys under the moon, the charred walls have such a strong smell, if the air moves and the hanged swing in the golden and funereal dawn. Translation ©Matilda Colarossi 2025 |
The poem, 1944, is from the collection Versi negli anni 1928-1996, found in the book of poems Bertolucci Poesie, Garzanti, i grandi libri 2014. p 400.
About the translation, I have nothing to say; about the theme, I have no more to say. It seems all around me all I hear is words, empty words.
More by Attilio Bertolutcci here.
You can find the book online here or at your favourite bookshop.
Painting: An Impression of Devastation at Moonlight, part of Sutherland’s Devastation series, depicting London buildings damaged by German air raids.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
parallel texts: words reflected 
Empty words surrounding, full sound thoughts. Grazie Matilda
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