‘The Nuances of Love: Celebrating 40 years of Italian-Canadian voices‘ celebrates 4 decades of the AICW (Association of Italian Canadian Writers). Edited by Christine Sansalone, Diana Iuele-Colilli and Maria Pia Spadafora, this gorgeous anthology is a collection of poetry and prose on the themes of love and friendship. It also celebrates the power and importance of storytelling and community. 46 Italian-Canadian writers contributed to this anthology, and one of them is me!
It is available for purchase for $25.00 (Can)from Guernica Editions and on Amazon.ca
My contribution is a poem. I do not normally write poetry, as you can tell from the title ‘Vorrei essere una poetessa‘ (I would like to be a poet). Since I can, I am posting it here, but you will have to get your own book if you want to read the other 45 contributions.
The poem was written directly in Italiano. Since I know a few of you will ask ‘where can I find it in English’ I did a very quick translation. Some of the concepts do not translate well, but I did my best-you can find it at the end.
Vorrei essere una poetessa
Vorrei essere una poetessa.
Così potrei esprimere tutto cio’ che vorrei dire
con parole magiche
che si sciolgono dalla lingua
Vorrei usare parole come affascinante e meraviglioso
per descrivere le cose di cui scriverò
Che posso mettere a parole…..
la luce gloriosa del sole estivo di meta’ pomeriggio,
che proietta ombre nascoste sui muri di pietra
I suoni allegri dei bambini
quando giocano a calcio
nelle viuzze strette
la vista mozzafiato
dalle scogliere sul mare
e la tenerezza della brezza marina
quando ti accarezza le spalle
la tavolozza ricca di colori brillanti
come il blu oltremare e terra di Siena bruciata
che diventano un dipinto quando incontrano la tela
l’emozione quando uno si trova
adavanti ad un capolavoro di Caravaggio,
con chiaroscuro e luci drammatiche
magnifico da ogni lato
Il profumo indimenticabile
del pane appena sfornato
che fa venire l’acquolina in bocca
e fa brontolare la pancia
Il gusto di un bicchiere di vino profumato e corposo
fatto con un’uva locale
e condiviso con i migliori amici
che valgono più dell’oro
la gioia dell’amore al primo sguardo
e anche la profondità della tristezza
di un cuore spezzato in mille pezzi
per un amore non ricambiato
Per tutti questi è difficile trovare le parole,
o scegliere gli aggettivi adeguati
Vorrei essere una poetessa….
purtroppo non trovo le parole
e non so da dove e come cominciare.
Published in: ‘The Nuances of Love: Celebrating 40 years of Italian- Canadian voices. Editors Christine Sansalone, Diana Iuele-Colilli and Maria Pia Spadafora. Guernica Editions (2025), p 40-41.
In Inglese/in English:
I would like to be a poet
So that I can express everything I want to say
with magical words
that roll off the tongue
I want to use words like fascinating and wonderful
to describe the things I will write about
So that I can put into words…
the glorious light of the mid-afternoon summer sun,
projecting cast shadows on crumbling stone walls
The joyful sounds of children
playing with a soccer ball
in narrow cobblestone streets
the breathtaking view
from cliffs overlooking the sea
and the tenderness of the sea breeze
when it caresses your shoulders
the rich palette of brilliant colors
such as ultramarine blue and burnt sienna
that become a painting when they meet the canvas
the emotion of finding oneself
in front of a masterpiece by Caravaggio,
painted in chiaroscuro, with dramatic lighting
magnificent from every angle
The unforgettable aroma
of freshly baked bread
that makes the mouth water
and the stomach rumble
The taste of a fragrant, full-bodied glass of wine
made with local grapes
and shared with dearest friends
who are worth more than gold
The joy of love at first sight
and also the profound sadness
of a heart shattered into a thousand pieces
for an unrequited love
For all of these, it is difficult to find the words,
or choose the proper adjectives.
I would like to be a poet…
unfortunately, I cannot find the words
and I do not know where or how to begin.
Ciao, Cristina
Un po' di pepe 