Il Sogno Della Madre
Se state guardando una madre che dorme in poltrona
in un qualsiasi dopopranzo invernale
con il televisore temporaneamente spento
e con in casa l’imperiosa pace
di una raggiunta storia di famiglia,
restate lì, non ve ne andate
e copritela con uno scialle.
Translations of this Poem
The Dream of the Mother
If you are watching a mother sleeping in an armchair
on any winter afternoon siesta
with the television temporarily off
and in the house the imperious peace
of an achieved family history
stay there, don’t go
and cover her with a shawl.
Source: from Ritorno a Planaval (Milan: Mondadori, 2001), translated by Gabriele Poole. Reproduced by kind permission of the translator.
About this poem
This poem, representing Italy, is part of The Written World – our collaboration with BBC radio to broadcast a poem from every single nation competing in London 2012.
