INFINITE VOLTE
Mi tuffai
nella palude al tramonto
e chiesi alla mente sottile
che regola
i flussi migratori
e l’imprevedibilità
del caldo e del freddo
di sfatare
la storia inutile
di civiltà sommerse.
Riemersi dall’acqua
bassa di un estuario
in Cornovaglia
con un occhio in tasca
che fu una perla
e sarà un occhio
e poi una perla,
INFINITE VOLTE.
Countless times
I dived
into a swamp at sunset
and asked the subtle mind
regulating
the migratory flows
and the unpredictability
of heat and cold
to debunk
the useless story
of sunken civilizations.
I emerged from the low
water of an estuary
in Cornwall
with an eye in my pocket
that was a pearl
and will be an eye
and then a pearl,
countless times.
(from Il mondo visto da vicino, Il Convivio editore)
_____________________________________________________________
Ofelia
Si dice che era bella
e pazza.
Si dice che qualcuno
l’ha vista camminare sull’acqua
annodando fili di fiori
e ghirlande di fumo.
Si dice che suo padre l’amava
e suo fratello l’amava.
Dov’era sua madre?
Si dice che era sola,
figlia di se stessa col cordone ombelicale
nascosto sotto la t-shirt.
Lei era detta essere.
Era o non era?
Nessuno poté dimenticarla perché nessuno la conosceva.
Ophelia
It is said she was beautiful
and crazy.
It is said someone
saw her walking on water
tying strands of flowers
and wreaths of smoke.
It is said that her father loved her
and her brother loved her.
Where was her mother?
It is said she was alone,
daughter of herself
with the umbilical cord
hidden under her t-shirt.
She was said to be.
Was or wasn’t she?
No one could forget her as no one knew her.
(from Nella cenere dei giochi, La Vita Felice ed.)
Irene Sabetta is an Italian poet, translator and High School English literature teacher. She has published four collections of poems: Inconcludendo (2018), Il mondo visto da vicino (2020), Nella cenere dei giochi (2022), Errore cronologico (2023). She curated the collection of poems Distanze verticali and the volume of critical essays Eterno presente for Macabor publishing house. Her works have won numerous awards and are published in anthologies, lit blogs and magazines. She has contributed to many collective books. She writes for “Formafluens” – International Literary Magazine and takes part in public readings, poetic performances and web radio programs about contemporary poetry.