Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Gian Mario Villalta

Little grass, grass so poor

Little grass, grass so poor,
of a field dazed under  the overpasses,
cold grass, dirty grass of a field
forgotten for years
Why do you insist on growing
your little dialect of verse smothered
by aluminum foil and monoxide?
What are you saying – real – you?
And the kiwis, then, the cans of corn
Do they look virtual to you?
You’re not the one that saves you.
You’re not the one that knows you.
You are only stranded
in  the infinity of your nudity.

Little grass, grass so poor

Poca erba, erba poreta,
de un prà stornìo dadrìo ’l cavalcavìa,
erba freda, sporca erba de un prà
da ani dismentegà
cossa insìstitu a crèsser
el to dialetìn de versi stusài
da tetrapak e monossido?
Cossa ti si – vera – ti?
I kiwi, ’lora, el mais,
te pàreli virtuài ?
No te si ti che te salva.
No te si ti che te sa.
Te si sol che ribandonàda
te l’infinìo de la to nudità.


Poca erba, erba povera,/ di un prato stordito dentro il raccordo anulare,/ erba fredda, sporca
erba di un prato/ da anni dimenticato,/ che insisti a crescere/ il tuo piccolo dialetto di versi
spenti/ da tetrapak e monossido?/ Cosa saresti – vera – tu?/ I kiwi, allora, il mais/ ti
sembrano virtuali ?/ Non sei tu che salvi./ Non sei tu che sai./ Tu sei soltanto
abbandonata/ nell’infinito della tua nudità.
Close

Little grass, grass so poor

Little grass, grass so poor,
of a field dazed under  the overpasses,
cold grass, dirty grass of a field
forgotten for years
Why do you insist on growing
your little dialect of verse smothered
by aluminum foil and monoxide?
What are you saying – real – you?
And the kiwis, then, the cans of corn
Do they look virtual to you?
You’re not the one that saves you.
You’re not the one that knows you.
You are only stranded
in  the infinity of your nudity.

Little grass, grass so poor

Little grass, grass so poor,
of a field dazed under  the overpasses,
cold grass, dirty grass of a field
forgotten for years
Why do you insist on growing
your little dialect of verse smothered
by aluminum foil and monoxide?
What are you saying – real – you?
And the kiwis, then, the cans of corn
Do they look virtual to you?
You’re not the one that saves you.
You’re not the one that knows you.
You are only stranded
in  the infinity of your nudity.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Ludo Pieters Gastschrijver Fonds
Lira fonds
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère