Johnnie Sayre
by Edgar Lee Masters
Father, thou canst never know
The anguish that smote my heart
For my disobedience, the moment I felt
The remorseless wheel of the engine
Sink into the crying flesh of my leg.
As they carried me to the home of widow Morris
I could see the school-house in the valley
To which I played truant to steal rides upon the trains.
I prayed to live until I could ask your forgiveness—
And then your tears, your broken words of comfort!
From the solace of that hour I have gained infinite happiness.
Thou wert wise to chisel for me:
“Taken from the evil to come.”
Versione in dialetto siciliano
di Marco Scalabrino
Patri, tu nun sai
l’assaccuni chi mi munciu lu cori
pi la me bigghiulata, dd’attimu chi sintivi
la rota spietata di lu vapuri
affunnari nna la carni viva di la me jamma.
Mentri mi purtavanu ‘n casa di la viduva Morris
nna la vaddata vitti la scola
chi ju facia Sicilia
pi curriri e acchianari ammucciuni ncapu a li treni.
Prijai di campari nfina chi
t’avissi pututu addumannari pirdunu
e li toi lacrimi, li toi palori, lu to cunfortu
mi vuscaru la filicità eterna!
Facisti bonu a scriviri pi mia:
“Scansatu a tutti li mali a veniri.”
viadellebelledonne.wordpress.com 