Searching for the soul of the city
CityPoem 36 - Rome
By Hans Karssenberg
11-03-2007 /views: 2127 in past 12 months.
Romans honouring a hero of the past: the people's poet Trilussa, who never joined any literary circles, wrote about the everyday Romans, in the Roman dialect.
Photo: mmmazzoni
Rome CityPoem: In the Shadow, Trilussa
IN THE SHADOW
While I'm reading the usual newspaper,
relaxed in the shadow of a straw patio,
I see a swine and I say aloud: "Farewell, pig!"
I see a mule and I say aloud: "Farewell, donkey!"
Maybe these beasts won't understand me
but, at least, I feel so happy
to be free to tell things straight,
fearing not to finish up in prison.
Trilussa
About the author
Carlo Alberto Salustri (Rome, 1871-1950) was an Italian dialect poet, better known by his pen name of Trilussa (an anagram of “Salustri”). He is best known for the poems, some of them sonnets, written in the dialect of Rome.
Trilussa lived a very poor childhood, as his father had died when he was only three years old. After irregular studies, he made a very early poetical debut in 1887 on the Rugantino magazine directed by Alfredo Zanazzo. Later he wrote also for Don Chisciotte, Capitan Fracassa, Il Messaggero and Il Travaso delle idee. His first collection, Le stelle de Roma ("Rome's Stars"), is from 1889
Trilussa's fame grew in the 1920s and 1930s, though he was not a part of any literary circle, preferring to be in the streets and taverns, which were the source of his inspiration. His poetry features the petite-bourgeoisie of Rome: the housewife, the store clerk, the servant, but also contain strong satirical denounces against governments and the vices of rich people. Some of the sonnets are Aesop-like moralistic fables. Trilussa's own sketches and drawings were featured alongside his poetry.
A very popular person in his city and Italy, Trilussa was named Life Senator on December 1, 1950, by the Italian President Luigi Einaudi. He died twenty days later.
In the work known as Illustrissimi, a collection of letters written by Pope John Paul I when he was Patriarch of Venice, Trilussa is one of the recipients of the letters.
Original text and translation into current Italian
All'ombra
Mentre me leggo er solito giornale
spaparacchiato all'ombra d'un pajaro,
vedo un porco e je dico. Addio, majale!
vedo un ciuccio e je dico. Addio, somaro!
Forse ste bestie nun me caperanno,
ma provo armeno la soddisfazzione
de potè di' le cose come stanno
senza paura de fini in priggione.
da Giove e le bestie, 1932
All'ombra Mentre mi leggo il solito giornale / disteso all'ombra di un pagliaio, / vedo un porco e gli dico. Addio, maiale! / vedo un asino e gli dico. Addio, somaro! // Forse queste bestie non mi capiranno, / ma provo almeno la soddisfazione / di poter dire le cose come stanno / senza paura di finire in prigione.
(Traduzione di Luigi Bonaffini)
Inspiring Cities Museum of CityPoems
Inspiring Cities has collected many citypoems over the years, as well as organized salons with citypoets and cities doing special projects. We have two criteria for what a citypoem is: the intention must be poetic, and it must be in the public realm of cities. Shapes, form and locations can and do differ.
The Museum of CityPoems has citypoems from cities all over the world. From Alhambra to Zonnebeke, from Taipei to Lima.
Got one yourself? Mail us your pictures (free of rights) and description, and we will publish.
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