Per la letterata inglese Christine

[Genyo]

Voglio dedicare a Christine, che studia 'english literature' una serie di poesie di Ezra Pound (1885 - 1972) che a lungo ha vissuto a Venezia e qui è sepolto a S. Michele, nella speranza che in America non si dimentichi questo grande poeta.

(da Lustra, 1916, Ezra Pound Opere Scelte, a cura di Mary de Rachewiltz, I Meridiani, Milano, 1985).

PROVINCIA DESERTA

At Rochecoart,
Where the hills part
in three ways,
And three valleys, full of winding roads,
Fork out to south and north.
There is a place of trees....grey with lichen.
I have walked there
thinking of old days.
At Calais
is a pleached arbour;
Old pensioners and old protected women
Have the right there -
it is charity.
I have crept over old rafters,
peering down
Over the Dronne,
over a stream full of lilies:
Eastward the road lies,
Aubeterre is eastward,
With a garrolous old man at the inn:
I know the roads in that place:
Mareuil to the north-east,
La Tour,
There are three near Mareuil,
And an old woman,
glad to hear Arnaut,
Glad to lend one dry clothing:

I have walked
into Perigord,
I have seen the torch-flames, high-leaping,
Painting the front of that church;
Heard, under the dark, whirling laughter.
I have looked back over the stream
and seen the high building,
Seen the long minarets, the white shafts.
I have gone in Ribeyrac
and in Sarlat,
I have climbed rickety stairs, heard talk of Croy,
Walked over En Bertran's old layout,
Have seen Narbonne, and Cahors and Chalus,
Have seen Excideuil, carefully fashioned.

I have said:
"Here such a one walked.
Here Coer-de-Lion was slain.
Here was good singing.
Here one man hastened his step.
Here one lay painting".
I have looked south from Hautefort,
thinking of Montaignac, southward.
I have lain in Rocafixada,
level with sunset,
Have seen the copper come down
tingeing the mountains,
I have seen the fields, pale, clear as emerald,
Sharp peaks, high spurs, distant castles.
I have said: " The old roads have lain here.
Men have gone by such and such valleys
Where the great halls were closer together":
I have seen Foix on its rock, seen Toulouse, and
Arles greatly altered,
I have seen the ruined "Dorata".
I have said:
"Riquier! Guido".
I have thought of the second Troy,
Some little prized place in Auvergnat:
Two men tossing a coin, one keeping a castle,
One set on the highway to sing.
He sang a woman.
Auvergne rose to the song;
The Dauphin backed him:
"The castle to Austors!"
"Pierre kept the singing -
A fair man and a pleasant."
He won the lady,
Stole her away for himself, kept her against armed force:
So end that story.
That age is gone;
Pieire de Maensac is gone:
I have walked over these roads;
I have thought of them living.

[Elendil]

cascamorto

[Genyo]

da Lustra (1916)

APRIL
Nynpharum membra disjecta

Three spirits came to me
And drew me apart
To where the olive boughs
Lay stripped upon the ground:
Pale carnage beneath bright mist.

[Genyo]

[Genyo]

TENZONE

Le accetterà la gente?
(dico, queste canzoni).
Come fanciulla che fugga da un centauro
( o da un centurione)
Sono già in fuga, urlando di terrore.

Saranno colpiti dalle verosimiglianze?
La loro vergine stupidità è oltre ogni tentazione.
Vi prego, o critici benevoli,
Non sbrigate per procurarmi un pubblico.

M'accoppio con i miei liberi simili sulle rocce;
i nascosti recessi
Hanno udito l'eco dei miei calcagni,
nella fresca luce,
nell'oscurità.

(da Lustra, 1916)

[Genyo]

è sempre l'ultimo messaggio del poeta....

[Christine]

nella speranza che in America non si dimentichi questo grande poeta.

La sua poesia non e' dimenticata, ma nemmeno il suo tradimento.

[Elendil]

La sua poesia non e' dimenticata, ma nemmeno il suo tradimento.

che tradimento?

[Christine]

che tradimento?

Aiding and abetting the enemy (Mussolini) in time of war

[Genyo]

Aiding and abetting the enemy (Mussolini) in time of war

Was not yet, "time of war", it happened before.
He paid with TWELVE YEARS of his life.....for his opinion.....