Alfonso Gatto – Parole / Words

Albrecht Durer, The Trefilería on Peignitz, 1494

“I’ll lose you as one may lose a bright happy day:
– I told the shade, you were in the empty room –
 I was waiting for you, over the flourishing years
my memory looked for your name, your semblance: 
you’ll disappear too, and nobody will ever remember us.”
You were gazing at the day
fading in the twilight, I was speaking about
the never ending peace that on rivers
spreads the evening to the countryside.

(Transl. by D. Foglia)

“Ti perderò come si perde un giorno
chiaro di festa: – io lo dicevo all’ombra
ch’eri nel vano della stanza – attesa,
la mia memoria ti cercò negli anni
floridi un nome, una sembianza: pure,
dileguerai, e sarà sempre oblio
di noi nel mondo.”
Tu guardavi il giorno
svanito nel crepuscolo, parlavo
della pace infinita che sui fiumi
stende la sera alla campagna.

This is a personal translation. Please contact me if you know another English translation.