After a very long pause, I’ve prepared two poems for today, for this Easter day, 2026.
Easter is usually symbolised by a dove carrying an olive branch in sign of peace. I have searched the skies; there are no doves carrying olive branches to be seen, just blazing skies, and what I imagine to be the sickening smell of rust and dust and devastation. Although the poems were written long ago, their theme seems to be aging so very well…
Both poems are by Trilussa, both are in Romanesco, both are in rhyme, both are, obviously, about war.
| La Guerra Trilussa Ner mejo che un Sordato annava in guerra er Cavallo je disse chiaramente: — Io nun ce vengo!— e lo buttò per terra precipitosamente. — No, nun ci vengo, — disse — e me ribbello all’omo che t’ha messo l’odio in core e te commanna de scannà un fratello in nome der Signore! Io — dice — so’ ‘na bestia troppo nobbile p’associamme a l’infamia che fai tu: se voi la guerre vacce in automobile, n’ammazzerai de più! | War Trilussa Just as a Soldier was settin’ off to war his Horse told ‘im quite plainly: — I ain’t comin’!— and he threw him down precipitously. — No, I ain’t comin’, — he said — and I revolt against the man who filled your heart with hate and ordered you to slaughter a brother in the Lord’s name! I — he says — ’m too noble a beast to be ‘ssociated with the infamy you’re committin’: if you want war, go by car, there’ll be way more killin’! Translation © Matilda Colarossi 2026 |
| L’ape Trilussa — Pur’io vorrei la pace: — diceva l’Ape a un Grillo — ch’er lavoro tranquillo me soddisfa e me piace. Ma finché su la terra parleranno de guerra terrò sempre, a bon conto, un pungijone pronto: er pungijone mio che m’ha arrotato Iddio. | The bee Trilussa — Sure I too ‘d like peace: — said the Bee to a Cricket — ‘cause work that’s quiet both satisfies and pleases. But so long as in the world all they do is talk o’ war, I’ll be keepin’, for security, my stinger ready: the stinger that I got ‘n was sharpened by God. Translation © Matilda Colarossi 2026 |
I’ve nothing to comment, nothing to add. – M.C.
This work is protected under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
Tip jar (help keep paralleltexts.blog publicity free)
Choose an amount
€1.00
€2.00
€5.00
Your contribution is appreciated.
Tip
parallel texts: words reflected 