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Delizia (e saggezza) del bevitore / Drinker's Delight (And Wisdom)

DELIZIA (E SAGGEZZA) DEL BEVITORE

           A Luigi Volpicelli

      Bicchiere dopo bicchiere.

      D'un bel rosso.

                  Acceso.

      In fiamma con la trasparenza
     dell'albero.

               E solo
      ( sera) al tavolo
     d'uscio dell'osteria.

     Guarda la via andar via
     verso il bosco e il buio.

     Sa l'ombra.
              Ma è in allegria.

     Carezza la bottiglia
     con mano amorosa.

     (Beve vino, o una rosa?)

             LE PAROLE

      Le parole. Gia.
      Dissolvono l'oggetto.

      Come la nebbia gli alberi,
      il fiume: il traghetto.


DRINKER'S DELIGHT (AND WISDOM)

          To Luigi Volpicelli

  Glass after glass.

  Of a fine red.

             Entryway.

  Ablaze with the transparency
  of the tree.

           He is alone
  (it's evening) at a table
  by the doorway of an inn.

  He watches the road as it goes
  towards the woods and the darkness.

  He knows shadow.
                 But he feels light.

  He strokes the bottle
  with a lover's caress.

  (Drinking wine, or a rose?)

           THE WORDS

      The words. Indeed.
      They dissolve their objects.

      Like a mist the trees,
      the river: the craft.

      Translated by Michael Palma

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