Emily Dickinson – In casa ero la più piccina / I was the slightest in the House

Vincent Van Gogh, The novel reader, 1888

I was the slightest in the House –
I took the smallest Room –
At night, my little Lamp, and Book –
And one Geranium –
So stationed I could catch the Mint
That never ceased to fall –
And just my Basket –
Let me think – I’m sure –
That this was all –
I never spoke – unless addressed –
And then, ’twas brief and low –
I could not bear to live – aloud –
The Racket shamed me so –
And if it had not been so far –
And any one I knew
Were going – I had often thought
How noteless – I could die –

In casa ero la più piccina –
mi ero scelta la stanza più piccola –
di notte, la lampada, il libro –
e un geranio –
non parlavo mai – se non quando mi si rivolgeva la parola –
e in quei casi poche parole a bassa voce –
non sopportavo di vivere – ad alta voce –
mi vergognavo talmente del chiasso –
e se non fosse stato che era così 
lontano –
e che tutti quelli che conoscevo
ci andavano – avevo spesso pensato
con quanta discrezione – sarei potuta morire.