Sicilian Poetry
Sicilian Poetry |
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Giovanni Meli (1740 - 1815)"Giovanni Meli is like a flower blooming luxuriously and spontaneously, even if the Sicilian language is sometimes disheveled, in his hands it became terse, full of delicacy and lyricism..." (Sucato, 105) This is my own free translation of Sucato's Italian text. In Sicilian the word "meli" means honey. There's a proverb in Sicilian: "nun si mancia meli senza muschi", that is to say, you don't eat honey without having flies around, so maybe some dishevelment comes with the territory.Some of Giovanni Meli's works. |
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Alcuni versi: Sti silenzi, sta virdura, Sti muntagni, sti vallati L'ha criatu la natura Pri li cori innamurati. Lu sussurru di li frunni, Di lu ciumi lu lamentu, L'aria, l'ecu chi rispunni, Tuttu spira sentimentu. Dda farfalla accussì vaga, Lu muggitu di li tori, L'innuccenza chi v'appaga, Tutti parranu a lu cori Stu frischettu insinuanti Chiudi un gruppu di piaciri, Accarizza l'alma amanti E ci arrobba li suspiri. |
Some selected verses: This silence and this verdant place These valleys low and hills above Were made for us from nature's grace For sweethearts and their endless love The beauty of the leafy fronds The river's sad lament An aria, the echo that responds They all breathe sentiment. The light and filmy butterfly The cattle's low sighing Their innocence will satisfy The heart with hunger crying The freshness of this feeling hovers Holds fast the pleasures of the day Caressing the souls of lovers And stealing their breath away. English translation by Arthur & Alice Dieli |
| This following extract was cited by Giuseppe Pitrè on page 187 of Volume II of his Proverbi siciliani raccolti e confrontati con quelli degli altri dialetti d'italia.. |
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Nella Rinnina e lu Parpagghiuni, favola del Meli, la rondine dice: ... Ntra l'oggetti cchiù brillanti Assai cc'è di superfluu e stravaganti. Non tutti li vantaggi di apparenza Su' tali valutànnusi di sustanza, Vi dunanu di arrassu cumpiacenza, Ma vana poi truvati l'eleganza, E chiddu chi apparisci a nui vantaggiu Tanti voti è molestia o disaggiu. |
In The Swallow and the Butterfly, a fable by Meli, the swallow says: ... Among the more brilliant objects There's much superfluity and extravagance. Not all that appear desirable Are substantially valuable, They evoke pleasure from afar, But then are found wanting elegance, And that which appears to us desirable Is often hurtful or undesirable. English translation by Arthur Dieli |
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