Translations from the poetry of

Giuseppe Ungaretti

by David W. Grunner

Hyperion, Volume V, issue 2, November 2010

97 Hyperion—Translations from the Poetry of Giuseppe Ungaretti

Hyperion—Volume V, issue 2, November 2010 98

99 Hyperion—Translations from the Poetry of Giuseppe Ungaretti

Noia

Anche questa notte passerà

Questa solitudine in girotitubante ombra dei fili tranviarisull’umido asfalto

Guardo le teste dei brumistinel mezzo sonnotentennare

Hyperion—Volume V, issue 2, November 2010 100

Boredom

Even this night will pass

This solitude all aroundfaltering shadow of the tramcar wireson the humid asphalt

I watch the heads of the coachmenhalf asleepwavering

101 Hyperion—Translations from the Poetry of Giuseppe Ungaretti

Silenzio

Conosco una cittàche ogni giorno s’empie di solee tutto è rapito in quel momento

Me ne sono andato una sera

Nel cuore durava il limiodelle cicale

Dal bastimentoverniciato di biancoho vistola mia città sparirelasciandoun pocoun abbraccio di lumi nell’aria torbidasospesi

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Silence

I know a citythat fills itself with sun each dayand in that moment everything is seized

I left one evening

In my heart remained the unnerving buzzof the cicadas

From the shippainted in whiteI saw my city vanishleavinglittlean embrace of lights in the dolorous airsuspended

103 Hyperion—Translations from the Poetry of Giuseppe Ungaretti

Un’altra notte

In quest’oscurocolle manigelatedistinguo il mio viso

Mi vedoabbandonato nell’infinito

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Another night

In this darknesswith handsfrozenI discernmy face

I see myselfabandoned in the infinite

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Sereno

Dopo tantanebbia a unaa unasi svelanole stelle

Respiroil frescoche mi lasciail colore del cielo

Mi riconoscoimmaginepasseggera

Presa in un giroimmortale

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Tranquil

After muchfogoneby onethey unveil themselves the stars

I breathethe cool airthat leaves methe color of the sky

I recognize myselfan imagepassing

caught in aneternal movement

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Natale

Non ho vogliadi tuffarmiin un gomitolodi strade

Ho tantastanchezzasulle spalle

Lasciatemi cosícome unacosaposatain un angoloe dimenticata

Qui non si sente altro che il caldo buono

Sto con le quattrocaprioledi fumodel focolare

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Christmas

I have no desireto throw myselfinto a tangle of streets

I have muchweariness on my shoulders

Leave me like thisas a thingplacedin a cornerand forgotten

Herenothing is feltother thanthe good warmth

I’ll staywith the foursummersaultsof smokefrom the hearth

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Monotonia

Fermato a due sassilanguiscosotto questavolta appannatadi cielo

Il groviglio dei sentieripossiede la mia cecità

Nulla è piú squallidodi questa monotonia

Una voltanon sapevoch’ è una cosaqualunqueperfinola consunzione seraledel cielo

E sulla mia terra affricanacalmataa un arpeggioperso nell’ariami rinnovavo

published in Hyperion: On the Future of Aesthetics, a web publication of The Nietzsche Circle: www.nietzschecircle.com, Volume V, issue 2, November 2010

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Monotony

Stopped before two stonesI languishunder thisfogged arc of sky

The tangle of pathspossesses my blindness

Nothing is bleaker than this monotony

OnceI did not knowthat eventhe evening consumptionof the skyis a commonthing

And on my African soilcalmedto an arpeggiolost in the airI was renewing myself