Old Winter

[Sicily (1943)]


Italian:

Antico inverno


Desiderio delle tue mani chiari
nella penombra della fiamma:
sapevano di rovere e di rose;
di morte. Antico inverno.

Cercavano il miglio gli uccelli
ed erano sùbito di neve;
così le parole:
un po’ di sole, una raggiera d’angelo,
e poi la nebbia; e gli alberi,
e noi fatti d’aria al mattino.

- Salvatore Quasimodo (1901-1968)

Literal translation:

Antico inverno
Old winter


Desiderio delle tue mani chiari
Desire for your clear hands
nella penombra della fiamma:
in the half-light of the flame:
sapevano di rovere e di rose;
They smelt of oak and of roses;
di morte. Antico inverno.
Of death. Old winter.

Cercavano il miglio gli uccelli
The birds looked for millet
ed erano sùbito di neve;
and were suddenly of snow;
così le parole:
the same with words:
un po’ di sole, una raggiera d’angelo,
a little sun, an angelic halo,
e poi la nebbia; e gli alberi,
and then the fog; and the trees,
e noi fatti d’aria al mattino.
and us made of air in the morning.

[Salvatore Quasimodo]

•

Versions:

Ancient Winter

desire of your hands of clarity
in the penumbra of the flame:
they knew revere also of roses;
dead women. Ancient winter.
Birds tried mile
and they were rapid snow;
by such means of the word:
few of the sun, the halo of angel,
and after this fog; and shafts,
and we made from air of morning.

Old Winter

will clear your hands
in the shadow of the flame:
knew oak and roses;
death. Ancient winter.

The birds tried
and suddenly the snow;
if the words:
one a little sunshine, my angel,
then the fog and trees,
and we did the morning air.

Old Winter

Clear mission
shadow with fire
I know, and we have to yo;
death. Old cold.

Wamenjaribu birds
and suddenly everything was in the snow;
If any of these words:
when Sunshine, Angel
fog, trees
and we took a morning off

- Anna & Ben D.