Ottobre (October) from the collection "Poesie," 1942, by Vincenzo Cardarelli, translated in English

 

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.

October (Ottobre)

 

Once, it was in Summer,

it was at that fire, at those ardors,

that my imagination awakened.

I incline now towards Autumn

of a color that raptures;

I love the tired season

which has already harvested the grapes.

No other thing resembles me more,

nothing consoles me more,

than this air that odors

of must and wine,

of this old sun of October

shining in the plundered vineyards.

 

Unexpected Autumn sun,

shining as in a beyond world,

with tender perdition

and vagabond happiness,

you find us exhausted,

braced for the worst and with sorrowful souls.

This is precisely why we cherish you,

vague, surviving sun:

you know not how to bid us farewell

coming back every morning

like a renewed miracle,

the prettier the more you fade

and are about to expire.

And with these stunning days

you compose your own season

which is thoroughly a sweet agony.

 

From the collection "Poesie," 1942, by Vincenzo Cardarelli. 

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.