La chiamavano Bocca di Rosa metteva l’amore metteva l’amore la chiamavano Bocca di Rosa metteva l’amore sopra ogni cosa. Appena scese alla stazione del paesino di Sant’Ilario tutti si accorsero con uno sguardo che non si trattava di un missionario. C’è chi l’amore lo fa per noia, chi se lo sceglie per professione. Bocca di Rosa nè l’uno nè l’altro lei lo faceva per passione. Ma la passione spesso conduce a soddisfare le proprie voglie senza indagare se il concupito ha il cuore libero oppure ha moglie. E fu così che da un giorno all’altro Bocca di Rosa si tirò addosso l’ira funesta delle cagnette a cui aveva sottratto l’osso. ………
E quelle andarono dal commissario e dissero senza parafrasare: "Quella schifosa ha già troppi clienti più di un consorzio alimentare". E arrivarono quattro gendarmi con i pennacchi con i pennacchi e arrivarono quattro gendarmi con i pennacchi e con le armi. Il cuore tenero non e’ una dote di cui sian colmi i carabinieri ma quella volta a prendere il treno l’accompagnarono malvolentieri. Alla stazione c’erano tutti dal commissario al sagrestano alla stazione c’erano tutti con gli occhi rossi e il cappello in mano. A salutare chi per un poco senza pretese, senza pretese a salutare chi per un poco portò l’amore nel paese. C’era un cartello giallo con una scritta nera, diceva: "Addio Bocca di Rosa con te se ne parte la primavera". Ma una notizia un po’ originale non ha bisogno di alcun giornale come una freccia dall’arco scocca vola veloce di bocca in bocca. E alla stazione successiva molta più gente di quando partiva chi manda un bacio, chi getta un fiore, chi si prenota per due ore. Persino il parroco che non disprezza fra un miserere e un’estrema unzione il bene effimero della bellezza la vuole accanto in processione. E con la Vergine in prima fila e Bocca di Rosa poco lontano si porta a spasso per il paese l’amore sacro e l’amor profano!
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They called her Bocca di Rosa she put love, she put love they called her Bocca di Rosa she put love above everything. As soon as she got off at the station in the little village of Sant’Ilario everybody knew at a glance that she wasn’t a missionary. There are those who make love because of boredom, those who choose it as a profession. Bocca di Rosa did neither, she did it for passion. But passion often leads to the satisfaction of one’s own desires without investigating whether the object of ones lust has a free heart or a wife. And so it was that from one day to the next Bocca di Rosa attracted the fatal fury of the bitches from whom she had taken the bone. ……..
And the bitches went to the chief of police, saying, without mincing their words, "That dirty woman has already too many clients, even more than a food shop". And four guards arrived with their plumes with their plumes and four guards arrived with their plumes and their weapons. A soft heart is not a quality for which the carabinieri are noted, but on that occasion they unwillingly accompanied her to catch the train. Everybody was at the station, from the chief of police to the sacristan everybody was at the station with red eyes and their hats in their hands. To say goodbye to someone who for a little while, without pretention, without pretention, to say goodbye to someone who, for a little while, brought love to their village. There was a yellow board with black writing on it, saying: "Farewell Bocca di Rosa you take spring away with you". But unusual news doesn’t need a newspaper: it quickly flies from mouth to mouth as the arrow shoots from the bow. And at the following station were many more people than when she left some blowing a kiss, some throwing a flower, some booking a couple of hours. Even the priest who, whilst saying a prayer of mercy or the last rites, doesn’t despise the ephemeral good of beauty, wants her near him in the procession. And with the Virgin at the front and Bocca di Rosa close by he leads through the village love both sacred and profane!
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Comments:
Vince Mooney:
Salve Serena:
What a marvelous poem! It made me feel like I felt the first time I saw the movie ‘Mediterraneo’. Italians seem to have a special warm spot in their hearts for any worthy “Bocca di Rosa”. I guess, that in a land without birth control and divorce (during the centuries past), love without obligation, duty, official sanction or procreation would provide an almost mystic sense of freedom.
I do have a question about the translation. Does the term ‘cagnette’ in Italian have the same connotation as ‘bitches’ does in English? In English a ‘bitch’ is a nasty, demanding, and complaining woman. I didn’t get that sense from the Italian.
Wonderful post. I get much more from your posts that I did in classroom! Every day is a surprise!
Thanks,
Vince
serena:
@Vince Mooney Ciao Vince,
Sì che Mediterraneo è un bellissimo film, how I enjoy your comments and analysis!
Cagnetta does have the same meaning as ‘bitch’ in English, although we normally use cagna, which is probably even stronger than it’s English equivalent. It’s certainly not a word to use lightly.
We also use the word vacca (cow) to insult an ‘unpleasant’ woman.
A presto, Serena
Aidan Conlon:
Salve Serena,
This Fabrizio De Andrè performance of Bocca di Rosa on Youtube is sorprendente : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iGoQ-0yb7E
Grazie per il tuo lavoro.
Ciao Aidan
serena:
@Aidan Conlon Salve Aidan, grazie per il link a youtube.
Saluti da Serena
Charles laster:
Love, love love this ballad. Especially when she gets called to process with the virgin mary!