Edgar Lee Masters in siciliano (by Marco Scalabrino)

Dippold, the Optician
by Edgar Lee Masters

What do you see now?
Globes of red, yellow, purple.
Just a moment! And now?
My father and mother and sisters.
Yes! And now?
Knights at arms, beautiful women, kind faces.
Try this.
A field of grain – a city.
Very good! And now?
Many women with bright eyes and open lips.
Try this.
Just a globet on a table.
Oh I see! Try this lens!
Just an open space – I see nothing in particular.
Well, now!
Pine trees, a lake, a summer sky.
That’s better. And now?
A book.
Read a page for me.
I can’t. My eyes are carried beyond the page.
Try this lens.
Depths of air.
Excellent! And now?
Light, just light, making everything below it a toy world.
Very well, we’ll make the glasses accordingly.


Versione in dialetto siciliano di Marco Scalabrino


Zoccu vidi?
Baddi russi, giarni e viola.
Un mumentu. E ora?
Me patri, me matri e li mei soru.
D’accordu. E ora?
Cavaleri armati, beddi dami e facci leti.
Prova chisti.
Frumentu a scialacori – un paisi.
Appostu. E ora?
Fimmini cu l’occhi chiari e labbra aperti.
Prova st’autri.
Un biccheri supra un tavulinu.
Canciamu vitra.
Un spaziu vacanti – nenti di spiciali.
E ora?
Arvuli di pinu, un lacu, un celu di staciuni.
Va megghiu. E ora?
Un libru.
Leggiminni na pagina.
E comu si fa? Li pagini mi svirticchianu sutta l’occhi!
Nzaia st’autru paru.
Mulineddi d’aria.
Appustuni. E ora?
Luci, sulu luci che cancia tuttu lu munnu ‘n un jocu.
Ci semu! Su’ chissi l’ucchiali chi avemu a fari.



Johnnie Sayre
by Edgar Lee Masters


Father, thou canst never know
The anguish that smote my heart
For my disobedience, the moment I felt
The remorseless wheel of the engine
Sink into the crying flesh of my leg.
As they carried me to the home of widow Morris
I could see the school-house in the valley
To which I played truant to steal rides upon the trains.
I prayed to live until I could ask your forgiveness—
And then your tears, your broken words of comfort!
From the solace of that hour I have gained infinite happiness.
Thou wert wise to chisel for me:
“Taken from the evil to come.”

***

versione in siciliano di Marco Scalabrino

Patri, tu nun sai
l’assaccuni chi mi munciu lu cori
pi la me bigghiulata, dd’attimu chi sintivi
la rota spietata di lu vapuri
affunnari nna la carni viva di la me jamma.
Mentri mi purtavanu ‘n casa di la viduva Morris
nna la vaddata vitti la scola
chi ju facia Sicilia
pi curriri e acchianari ammucciuni ncapu a li treni.
Prijai di campari nfina chi
t’avissi pututu addumannari pirdunu
e li toi lacrimi, li toi palori, lu to cunfortu
mi vuscaru la filicità eterna!
Facisti bonu a scriviri pi mia:
“Scansatu a tutti li mali a veniri.”