L’Ammore Nuosto
L’ammore nuosto è na cammenata ncopp’’a via,
Nu vasillo mmocca a ll’ombra,
Na carezza a na spalla ‘o’ sole.
L’ammore nuosto è nu gelato offerto
E maje magnato,
Na guardata suspecosa, nu poco ‘e gelusia.
L’ammore nuosto è n’abbracciamiento abbascio ‘o puorto,
‘A paura ‘e nu dimane senza ‘e te, senza ‘e me.
L’ammore nuosto è na canzona ancora senza parole,
Ca pure stammo cantanno,
Ca forze leggimmo int’a ll’uocchie d’’e figlie nuoste.
Our Love
Our love is a walk on the avenue,
A little kiss on the mouth in the shade,
A caress on the shoulder in the sun.
Our love is an icecream offered
And never eaten,
A suspicious glance, a bit of jealousy.
Our love is an embrace down by the harbour,
The fear of a tomorrow without you, without me.
Our love is a song still without words,
That yet we are singing,
That perhaps we read in the eyes of our children.
* 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.
A little kiss on the mouth in the shade,
A caress on the shoulder in the sun.
Our love is an icecream offered
And never eaten,
A suspicious glance, a bit of jealousy.
Our love is an embrace down by the harbour,
The fear of a tomorrow without you, without me.
Our love is a song still without words,
That yet we are singing,
That perhaps we read in the eyes of our children.
* 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.
