"Incontro in circolare" by Vincenzo Cardarelli; "Encounter on the tramway," by Vincenzo Cardarelli, English version, translated in English by LiteraryJoint

"Vincenzo Cardarelli: The Forgotten amongst the Great. A Collection of the Best Poems by Vincenzo Cardarelli, Translated in English," available as e-book on Amazon Kindle, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, on NOOK Book, on Kobo, and as printed, traditional edition through Lulu.

Encounter on the tramway

Tall, brunette, strong hips,
beneath a unpretentious coat,
the pretty girl confused
amongst the wretched crowd
of an inner ring's tramway car,
appeared wholly free from any trouble.
Standing on the corridor, keeping slightly apart, 
her legs like those of a statue
withstood any bump
as a solid bridge on a swollen river.
Not glory through her was revealed,
not frenzy of life or youth,
rather a decided and stern indifference
shone in her pensive and sharp eyes.
She was one of those 
Roman beauties
that are rare even in Rome,
where one can never meet them
without a dumb wonder.
It was a great secret
of life in Rome
that made its appearance in the least propitious place,
in its most dignified form.
Whence was coming, or whither was going
the pretty Roman with her
shiny and curled hair?
What profession could one ascribe to her?
Having shifted toward the door
she found someone to converse with
with familiarity.
And she was turning to me her shoulders,
high like stretched wings.
At the Colosseo she alighted with lightness, 
vanishing from my eyes, alas, forever.

From the collection "Poesie Aggiunte," 1949. From "Vincenzo Cardarelli: The Forgotten amongst the Great. A Collection of the Best Poems by Vincenzo Cardarelli, Translated in English," available as e-book on Amazon Kindle, iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, on NOOK Book, on Kobo, and as printed, traditional edition through Lulu.
 

Incontro in circolare

Alta, bruna, fiancuta,

sotto un soprabito disadorno,

la bella ragazza confusa

nella misera folla

d'una vettura circolare interna,

pareva sorda a ogni affanno.

Ferma sul corridoio, un po' appartata,

le sue gambe di statua

sostenevano gli urti

come solido ponte un fiume in piena.

Non gloria in lei spirava,

non frenesia di vita o giovinezza,

ma una decisa e forte indifferenza

luceva nei suoi occhi assorti e aguzzi.

Era di quelle

romane bellezze

che son rare anche a Roma,

dove mai non s'incontrano

senza un muto stupore.

Era un grande segreto

della vita di Roma

che m'appariva in luogo men propizio,

nella forma più degna.

Donde veniva, ove andava

la bella romana chiomata

di lucidi e ricci capelli?

Quale mestiere o cura attribuirle?

Spostandosi verso l'uscio

trovò qualcuno con cui discorrere

famigliarmente.

E mi volgeva le spalle

alte com'ali tese.

Al Colosseo discese leggermente,

scomparendo ai miei occhi, oimé, per sempre.

Dalle raccolta "Poesie Aggiunte," 1949.