Casale
‘E perzianelle ‘aústo
Stanno acalate,
Ncopp’’e titte simmo jute
Pe nce piglià ‘o cafè,
Duje cuorpe arvolejanno
Parole spellecchione e overe
Panne spase
Arreventanno bannere ‘e luce
‘A robba vecchia ‘e coccheruno
Ca nun sapimmo
Simbè turnammo a recità.
Hamlet
The little August blinds
Are down,
We went up on the roof
To have our coffee,
Two bodies swaying
True and tattered words
Hanging laundry
Becoming flags of light
The old goods of someone
We don’t know
Even though we continue to recite.
* Self-published in 2010, Meridiunalata/Southernade is a treasury of poems gleaned from Cav. Sant'Elia's previous collections (Nchiuso dint''o presente, 'A cuntrora, and 'O pino e l'éllera), which were circulated among friends in New York City and Naples. Special thanks to Cav. Sant'Elia for allowing us to reprint his poetry and translations.
