Il giorno ad Urlapicchio
By Fosco Maraini
Ci son dei giorni smègi e lombidiosi
col cielo dagro e un fònzero gongruto
ci son meriggi gnàlidi e budriosi
che plògidan sul mondo infrangelluto,
ma oggi è un giorno a zìmpagi e zirlecchi
un giorno tutto gnacchi e timparlini,
le nuvole buzzìllano, i bernecchi
ludèrchiano coi fèrnagi tra i pini;
è un giorno per le vànvere, un festicchio
un giorno carmidioso e prodigiero,
è il giorno a cantilegi, ad urlapicchio
in cui m’hai detto «t’amo per davvero».
Thank you Giorgia.
Unfortunately, I cannot translate this poem because there’s no way to translate it, since most of the words that are in it don’t exist. Still, I could tell you what is it about. Or not really: what I could possibly tell you is what is my interpretation of it. And if you know Italian, and you read it, you would possibly tell me: «But, it doesn’t matter! because we can still identify the authors message since its pretty suggestive!». Well, I would say then: «Uhh yes but no».
In my personal experience, the reading of this poem had to stages (of course this is a personal situation, since a) I’m not an Italian Native Speaker, and b) I’m me, and I think like I only can):
First Stage: Socially-Influenced Reading.
*I start reading* – «I don’t get these words» – «Drago? Sounds like a dark adjective!» – *Reads second paragraph* – «Giorgia! This Italian is very complex!» – «Le nuvole buzzìllano? So nice!» – *Reads third paragraph* – «Ohhhhh I get now!» – «Very Beautiful!».
When I read this poem at first, I didn’t get all of the words but I still made an image of what was happening. How did I do it? With my Socially-Influenced Detective Glasses. The author is so clever, that he gives you the hint of what is he describing using only three phrases:
«Ci son dei giorni…»
«Ma oggi è un giorno…»
«In cui m’hai detto «t’amo per davvero».
And from here, everybody gets the «plot» of the poem:
There are dark, miserable days in which it is not worth living. However, today is not one of them. Today is a beautiful day, in which in every corner of this universe we can find a reason to live. Today is the beautiful day in which, in Urlapicchio, you said to me «I truly love you».
And then Giorgia says: «You didn’t get these words because they don’t exist». Plot twist. Then, Why did I even understood something? Because in the society we see these kind of romantic references all the time. We grew up watching them in movies, reading it in stories and listening to them in songs.
Once I came to this conclusion, the reading of the poem evolved for me.
Second Stage: Self-interpretation.
Fin.
A Disturbed Latino In Italy 