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NUN C’ERA ALTIRNATIVA Risulenti burgatedda chi ti specchi, trimulanti, supra l’unni di lu mari azzurrinu e spumiggianti.
T’arrusbigghi la matina di lu suli a la livata, assai tristi e silinziusa comu amanti abbannunata.
Pensi forsi a la to genti, chi custritta ad emigrari ti lasso` sula sulidda senza mancu salutari?
Ma nun c’era altirnativa, siddu partiri o ristari, c’era sulu lu bisognu, tanti vucchi di sfamari!
Burgatedda risulenti, senti a mia, nun ti allarmari, sti gintuzzi a lu partiri, sannu gia` c’hannu a turnari.
 E sarà gran festa quannu rivirrannu li to mura, tali e quali a primavera rinineddi migratura.
Peppino Collurafici |
IT WAS NOT AN OPTION Smiling simple little village, Your trembling image mirroring In the waves of your sea, Blue when calm or white when cresting.
In the morning you wake up With the sun at the hint of dawn Very sad, lonely and hushed As a much forsaken lover.
Maybe you wonder about your people Who compelled to emigrate, Left you alone for foreign lands, With not even a sad good-bye?
It was not for us an option For the leaving or the staying, It was the great need For so many mouths to feed.
Smiling simple little town, Listen here, don’t be dismayed, These people when they left, Already knew they will be back.
A jubilee will be the day, They will return to your walls, As when in spring come back, The ever migrant happy swallows.
Translation by Nino Russo |
