La Festa della Donna – International Women’s Day

Tuesday, March 8 next week is International Women’s Day, a festival which will be celebrated around the world and especially in Italy. A big part of that celebration involves the gifting of mimosas to women.

In 1946 the Unione Donna Italiana (Italian Woman Union)  decided to choose an object to symbolize the event. The choice fell on the bright yellow flowers, which is in blossom at the beginning of March, and since then this plant has become the symbol of La Festa della Donna.

Here are two poems celebrating the mimosa and women for this important day.

The first poem is by poet Pablo Neruda and underlines women’s strength and gentleness at the same time.

The second poem by Alda Merini also underlines the characteristics found in women, even those that are contradictory. It is a poem celebrating human vulnerability and women’s right to be equal and respected.

Mimosa – Pablo Neruda

Andavo a San Jeronimo

verso il porto

quasi addormentato

quando dall’inverno

una montagna

di luce gialla,

una torre fiorita

spuntò sulla strada e tutto

si riempì di profumo.

Era una mimosa

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Mimosa – Pablo Neruda

I used to go to San Jeronimo

towards the port

almost asleep

when from winter

a mountain

of yellow light,

a flowery tower

popped up on the street and all

filled with perfume.

It was a mimosa

_________________

A tutte le donne – Alda Merini

Fragile, opulenta donna, matrice del paradiso
sei un granello di colpa
anche agli occhi di Dio
malgrado le tue sante guerre
per l’emancipazione.
Spaccarono la tua bellezza
e rimane uno scheletro d’amore
che però grida ancora vendetta
e soltanto tu riesci
ancora a piangere,
poi ti volgi e vedi ancora i tuoi figli,
poi ti volti e non sai ancora dire
e taci meravigliata
e allora diventi grande come la terra
e innalzi il tuo canto d’amore.

_________________

To all the women – Alda Merini

Fragile, opulent woman, matrix of heaven
you are a speck of guilt
even in the eyes of God
despite your holy wars
for emancipation.
They split your beauty
and remains a skeleton of love
but who still cries out for revenge
and only you can
still crying,
then you turn around and see your children again,
then you turn around and you still can’t say
and be silent in amazement
and then you become as big as the earth
and raise your love song.

_________________

Auguri a tutte le donne del mondo!