Aria
Give me this fine and hot air,
Give me this dream
Of noonday,
Your darkest eyes islands.
Give me this cool thought,
Give this melancholy
All about,
Your wet and salty hair.
Arietta
Rammella chest’aria fina e cávera,
Rammillo chistu suonno
‘E miezujuorno,
Ísole l’uocchie tuoje scure scure.
Rammillo chistu penziero frisco,
Rammella chest’appecundría
A tuttepizze,
‘E capille tuoje nfuse e salate.
* 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.
