Sicilian Poetry

Lina La Mattina (1944 - ) Lina La Mattina (Michela Rinaudo La Mattina) was born in Palermo on February 13, 1944. She has been writing poetry in her native Sicilian language since 1978 and has published her poems in a variety of reviews, journals, and anthologies. Her first book of poetry, entitled, Chiddu Ca Nun Si Vidi, was published in 1995. The first three poems included here are from her second book of poetry entitled 'Na Vuci A La Scurata, published in 1997 and cited below. The first poem, "A 'Gnaziu Buttitta", "To Ignatius Buttitta" reproduced here was written two days after the passing of Ignazio Buttitta. The second poem, "Lu Suli", "The Sun" is illustrative of her imaginative approach to everyday subjects. The third and last example of her work is the poem "Davanti a 'stu ritrattu", "In Front Of This Picture". It is about Falcone (5/18/39-5/23/92) and Borsellino (1/19/40-7/19/92), two judges who were assassinated by the Sicilian Mafia. The picture of Falcone and Borsellino that precedes the poem was scanned from the book "Excellent Cadavers: The Mafia and the Death of the First Italian Republic" by Alexander Stille, Pantheon Books, ISBN 0-679-42579-9, 1995. For more about this topic see the: Falcone Foundation web page. Here's an excellent biography, in Italian, of Paolo Borsellino as well as a set of useful links. On March 8, 2010, Wiki-Sicula featured her poem Isula. I added it at the end, together with my English translation.

--by La Mattina, Lina, 'Na Vuci A La Scurata, edizioni ARCI SICILIA, Giarre, 1997. p. 34

--translated by Arthur & Alice Dieli

Davanti a 'stu ritrattu	In Front Of This Picture
Ogni annu nni la staciuni ca ritorna la vita 'nzinu a quannu si meti lu furmentu si fa cchiù funnata la pena taliannu 'sti du'omini forti comu liuna, appizzati a lu muru.	Every year in the season when life returns just when the wheat planting begins the pain becomes more gripping as I gaze at these two brave men strong as lions, hanging on the wall.
Ciuciulianu fittu fittu comu aceddi a la scurata l'occhi arraccamati di negghi e di ventu parinu orfani di suli, ma li risateddi complici ammucciati sutta li mustazzi mi fannu sfirniciari. Mentri accarizzu cu l'occhi 'sti facci c'a tutti appartennu, 'nzutta 'nzutta adaciu adaciu mi pari di sentiri 'na vuci:	They're chattering to each other like birds at nightfall their eyes embroidered by fog and wind like orphans from the sun, their shared laughter hidden under their mustaches makes me pensive. While I caress with my eyes these faces that now belong to all of us, a soft whisper very softly it seems I hear a voice:
"Iddi nun lu sannu ca siddu n'ammazzanu si dunanu la zappa supra li pedi... iddi ridinu, currinu, nni pigghianu pri fissa e si divertinu a jucari, cu botti e tricchi tracchi; ma iu ti dicu ca siddu Cosa Nostra nn'ammazza po' chiudiri putia!"	"They don't know that if they kill us they'll be shooting themselves in the foot... they're laughing, going on, taking us for fools and having fun playing, with shots and fireworks but mark my words if the Cosa Nostra kills us they can close up shop!"
"Pirchì la nostra morti fussi 'na gnizioni di vita pri la genti 'ntamata c'aspetta e siddu s'arruspigghianu lu sangu, siddu ritrovanu l'orgogliu siddu scusinu vucchi e sacchetti nenti e nuddu lo po' cchiù firmari! Li siciliani addiventanu 'na mantria di voja 'nzarbaggiuta ca sdirruba e trascina tuttu chiddu ca 'ncontra! Pirchì lu ciaru di la libirta è cchiù friscu e prufumatu di la morti e di la cumplicità".	"Because our death would be the beginning of life for the stunned people who wait and if it sets their blood to boil and if they rediscover their self respect if they unzip their mouths and satchels nothing and no one will ever be able to seal them! Sicilians will become a herd of wild oxen that topples and drags everything in its path! Because the scent of liberty is more refreshing and perfumed than that of death and complicity".
"Già, macari qualcunu nun havi lu tò curaggiu e li tò spiranzi ma siddu comu Buscetta si metti a cantari farà trimari pilastri di cimentu 'mpastati di sangu e tuttu lu casteddu di 'nfamità e di 'nganni".	"Yes, and even if someone lacks your courage and your high hopes but if like Buscetta they begin to sing they'll make tremble the bloodied cement pillars and the entire fortress of infamy and shame".
"Iu mittissi nna li manu di qualcunu lu picuni di la puisia" -- arrispunni Paulu cu l'occhi persi a un pinzeru luntanu -- "li pueti si sapi, azzappanu nna li jardina di la menti allarganu li cori, scotinu cuscenzi e grapinu l'aricchi a li surdi".	"I'd be putting into someone's hands the pick axe of poetry". -- answered Paulu with a faraway look of one lost in thought -- "It's known that poets till the garden of the mind enlarging hearts, reawakening consciences and opening the ears of the deaf".
Tistia siddiatu Giovanni ma la sò vuci è ferma e risuluta: "Nuavutri, sugnu sicuru, nun putemu essiri a vidiri 'sta festa, ma ti fazzu vidiri ca 'sta guerra macari 'nzemmula a qualcunu cu li capiddi bianchi l'avemu a vinciri pirchì caru amicu miu ogni jocu c'accumincia prestu o tardu havi a finiri".	Giovanni, nods dolefully but his voice is firm and resolute: "I'm certain we won't be able to see this celebration, but you'll see that even together with someone with white hair we're bound to win this war because my dear friend every game that is started, sooner or later must end".
Cu l'occhi ancora chiantati a lu quatru e lu ciriveddu 'nfruscu penzu: la fantasia mi pigghia la manu o qualcunu mi duna la sua?	With eyes still fixed on the picture and my mind overflowing I thought: is fantasy taking my hand or is someone giving me theirs?
27 giugno 1996	June 27, 1996
--by La Mattina, Lina, 'Na Vuci A La Scurata, edizioni ARCI SICILIA, Giarre, 1997. p. 63	--translated by Arthur Dieli