I’ Nun Songo Nato
I’ nun songo nato p’’e cavalle,
Ma p’’e varche a mare,
D’’e passe secure
Nun me fido chiù,
Saccio meglio l’onne sciuliarelle
Ca mpácchiano.
I’ nun aggio maje vuluto
Ngarrà niente,
Addevinà prufezzíe.
I’ aggio sempe vuluto
Ncuccià ‘a fatalità
Tutta d’’a mia
Ncopp’’o fatto,
Chello ca chiammammo
«Nu juorno ‘e chisto»,
Ca pe me
È stu zico ca stammo
Risciatanno mo.
I’ songo chillo ca lassa
L’antica p’’a nova,
Ca passa dint’’o scuro
D’’o vico cumme fosse miezujuorno,
Ca piglia ‘a sagliuta sudanno
Senza manco nu penziero
‘E stanchezza.
Cumm’a tutt’’a razza
I’ nun songo nato
Pe murì ma pe campà.
I Wasn’t Born
I wasn’t born for horses,
But for boats at sea,
I can’t take
Sure steps any more,
I know the slippery waves
That deceive better.
I never wanted
To guess anything,
Divine prophecies,
I always wanted to
Catch a destiny
All my own
Redhanded,
That which we call
«One of these days»,
Which for me
Is this second that we are
Breathing now.
I’m the one that leaves
The old for the new,
That passes in the dark
Of the alley as though it were midday,
That takes the ascent sweating
Without even a thought
Of tiredness.
Like all the race
I was not born
To die but to live.
* 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.
