Poetry

Gianni Rodari: La luna di Kiev/ The moon in Kyiv

And after a pandemic that confined us to our homes and deprived us of our loved ones, Man, in his senseless cruelty, has decided it is now time for war. My heart goes out to the people of Ukraine, to all the children…may they all be safe soon. La luna di Kievdi Gianni RodariChissà se…Read more Gianni Rodari: La luna di Kiev/ The moon in Kyiv

Salvatore Quasimodo: Ad Auschwitz/ In Auschwitz

“You will find them, soldier, in your/ history in the shape of streams, of animals,/ or are you, too, ash of Auschwitz,/ medal of silence? [...] no to death, dead in Auschwitz,/ to never repeat, from that pit/ of ashes, death.” #SalvatoreQuasimodo #LestWeForget the horrors Man is capable of. Ad AuschwitzSalvatore QuasimodoLaggiù, ad Auschwitz, lontano…Read more Salvatore Quasimodo: Ad Auschwitz/ In Auschwitz

Giorgio Caproni: Oh cari/ Oh dear ones…

Giorgio Caproni said his poetry was “in shirt sleeves” until, after editing, it wore a jacket. But whether in shirt sleeves or jacket, it is an extraordinary thing of complex simplicity. Oh cari   Apparivano tutti in trasparenza.                          Tutti in anima.             Tutti nell’imprescindibile essenzaDell’ombra.                    Ma vivi      Vivi dentro la morte come…Read more Giorgio Caproni: Oh cari/ Oh dear ones…

Trilussa: La tartaruga/ The tortoise

It's always hard to translate dialect or, rather, slang. Slang can be so diverse. Trilussa enjoys writing in Romanesco, the dialect of Rome. I did my best, and maybe I failed, but the meaning here goes far beyond the words: live your life to the fullest; ride your scooter until you're almost 97 years old;…Read more Trilussa: La tartaruga/ The tortoise