Selected Poems of Marina Pizzi - Translation from the Italian by Maurizio Brancaleoni (Free eBook)

Marina Pizzi is simply one of the best contemporary Italian poets. Unfortunately, only few of her poems have ever been translated in English and that is one of the reasons that pushed me to make this effort. Another motive is that while in general Pizzi’s syntax has a solid stone-like nature which suits English very well, her lines are extremely polysemic, ambiguous, and full of poetic inversions, which means that a non-native would have a hard time trying to interpret certain passages or grasp the whole range of nuances and meanings. This selection has been guided by personal taste. All the poems were originally published in electronic format. The titles of the (e-)books from which they are taken are given both in Italian and English. I hope this book will find its readers in this big, crazy e-maze.

 

*Last revised December 2020

PDF

ePub(Kobo)

AZW3(Kindle)

 * Every translation takes a lot of time and work. If you have enjoyed this free e-book, donate via PayPal or Ko-fi to support the blog. Any amount you choose to give will be greatly appreciated. *

Marina Pizzi (Translation from the Italian by Maurizio Brancaleoni)

Marina Pizzi was born on 5th May 1955 and is based in Rome. In her literary career she has published over fifty books of poetry both on paper and in electronic format.
The two following poems come from her digital collection "Soqquadri del pane vieto" (2010-2011), which can be found on a number of websites both as a PDF file and as a single post.

* All rights reserved. No part of the following translations may be reproduced in any form or by any means without prior authorization.* Tutti i diritti sono riservati. La riproduzione, totale o parziale, delle seguenti traduzioni, è vietata. *

22.

I wish I could lose the detritus

of my pain but instead a relentless 

computer nibbles at the friction

in the flesh. I alternate jocular eagles

with tender mosses and soft lichens.

the array of the male dolls

does not help me to laugh, fear

stations me the abraded dark queen

room of agony. the veil tearing me

life is a boys' prank

without remedy. I descend from the hoi polloi to the ground

only to live without god or the saint's permission.

rancid beer swirls in my throat

where the pupil learns that his mother is mortal

even more than like father's doubt. I converge with

the cream of the populace to feign youth

or the Vanessa butterfly that I find by the roadside

miracolous nexus of love for innumerable

prohibitions. funereal flowers with noble

corollae wait to be thrown away. billions 
of spores cannot make a life.

55.

do not be late in loving me

I am crying tears of levy

since the urgency to surrender

imposes little bundles of pinwheels

fixed in the pain.

the graves going around the world

smear the crystal of origin

the naked merry-go-round of crying again

denied alms. now comes the agony

of the yes for the betrayed newlywed bride. in the throat

of the tempest of betraying

may the majesty's doubt appear

this lopsided she-saint's halo

mother gone over the border.

heirloom ruefulness to be gazing at you

dead at the altar with the coffin in your face. 
crude winners don't like talent.

Like what you've read so far? For more poems by Marina Pizzi in English check out my free eBook "Selected Poems of Marina Pizzi":

 https://leisurespotblog.blogspot.com/2018/11/marina-pizzi-english.html

This blog and its contents are free, but every translation takes a lot of time and work. If you have enjoyed this post and would like more translations, reviews and interviews, consider making a small donation to support this blog: