{"id":19093,"date":"2020-10-16T22:00:14","date_gmt":"2020-10-16T20:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/?p=19093"},"modified":"2021-03-18T15:53:05","modified_gmt":"2021-03-18T14:53:05","slug":"la-poesia-poetry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/italian\/la-poesia-poetry\/","title":{"rendered":"La Poesia – Poetry"},"content":{"rendered":"

Oggi, leggiamo un po’ di poesia italiana.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Ugo Foscolo was a famous poet, revolutionary, and writer from the 18th century. He is especially remembered for his 1807 poem called Dei Sepolcri, <\/i>Of the Sepulchres,\u00a0<\/i>which you can read fully here<\/a>. It is a 295 hendecasyllabic (line of 11 syllables)\u00a0verse poem, so make sure you give yourself ample time to read it. Essentially it is a poem of protest of Napoleon Bonaparte’s decree that all burials must take\u00a0place outside the city walls, that they all must be\u00a0of the same size; and that their inscriptions would be controlled by a special commission. It allowed Foscolo to reflect upon the nature of death and the desire for those who are dead to be remembered and to inspire those who are still alive.<\/p>\n

A shorter yet still iconic poem from Ugo Foscolo is Alla Sera<\/em>, To Evening, written in 1803. I think it’s a very beautiful ode to evening and the images he evokes in the poem are strong yet soft and whimsical.<\/p>\n

It reminds me of the painting by Claude Monet called\u00a0San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk<\/a>,<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0which was painted of the\u00a0San Giorgio Maggiore<\/em> in Venice in 1908.<\/p>\n

\"\"

Image by
Mick Haupt from Unsplash, CCO.<\/p><\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

You’ll be able to read the Italian and then the English translation right below it, as well as watch a YouTube video and listen to the poem being read out loud. Let me know how you feel after reading the poem in the comments below! For me,\u00a0mi sento sognante<\/em>,\u00a0I feel dreamy…<\/p>\n

Alla\u00a0Sera – Ugo Foscolo\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Forse perch\u00e9 della fatal quiete<\/em><\/p>\n

tu sei l\u2019immago, a me si cara vieni,<\/em><\/p>\n

o Sera! E quando ti corteggian liete<\/em><\/p>\n

le nubi estive e i zeffiri sereni,<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Perhaps because you are the image of that fatal quiet<\/p>\n

so dear to me, you have come,<\/p>\n

O Evening! And when happy summer clouds<\/p>\n

and the gentle west wind are your escort,<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

e quando dal nevoso aere inquiete<\/em><\/p>\n

tenebre e lunghe all\u2019universo meni,<\/em><\/p>\n

sempre scendi invocata, e le secrete<\/em><\/p>\n

vie del mio cor soavemente tieni.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

and when from snowy restless heights<\/p>\n

you send shadows and darkness into the world,<\/p>\n

you descend summoned always, and gently hold<\/p>\n

the secret ways of my heart.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Vagar mi fai co\u2019 miei pensier su l\u2019orme<\/em><\/p>\n

che vanno al nulla eterno; e intanto fugge<\/em><\/p>\n

questo reo tempo, e van con lui le torme<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

You make my thoughts wander forms<\/p>\n

that vanish into eternal nothing; meanwhile<\/p>\n

this cursed time flees, and with it, the throng<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

delle cure onde meco egli si strugge;<\/em><\/p>\n

e mentre guardo la tua pace, dorme<\/em><\/p>\n

quello spirto guerrier ch\u2019entro mi rugge.<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

of cares with which it me destroys;<\/p>\n

and while I gaze on your peace, that warlike spirit<\/p>\n

sleeps, that yet within me roars.<\/p>\n