@ foto di William Willinghton
Torna all’indice di Spoon River tradotto in italiano
Poesia n°108 di Spoon River – Edgar Lee Masters – traduzione in italiano con testo originale
Titolo: Robert Davidson
I GREW spiritually fat living off the souls of men.
Ingrassavo il mio spirito vivendo delle anime degli uomini.
If I saw a soul that was strong
Se vedevo un anima forte
I wounded its pride and devoured its strength.
ne ferivo l’orgoglio e ne divoravo la forza.
The shelters of friendship knew my cunning,
I rifugi dell’amicizia erano a conoscenza della mia furbizia,
For where I could steal a friend I did so.
in quanto se mi era data la possibilità di rubare un amico lo facevo.
And wherever I could enlarge my power
E tutto ciò che potessi fare per aumentare il mio potere
By undermining ambition, I did so,
dall’indebolire un’ambizione, lo facevo,
Thus to make smooth my own.
per agevolare la mia.
And to triumph over other souls,
E il trionfo sulle altre anime,
Just to assert and prove my superior strength,
così da asserire e provare la mia forza superiore,
Was with me a delight,
era per me un piacere,
The keen exhilaration of soul gymnastics.
l’appassionata esaltazione della ginnastica dell’anima.
Devouring souls, I should have lived forever.
Divorando anime, avrei vissuto per sempre.
But their undigested remains bred in me a deadly nephritis,
Ma i loro resti indigesti mi portarono a una nefrite mortale,
With fear, restlessness, sinking spirits,
con paura, inquietudine, spiriti che affondavano,
Hatred, suspicion, vision disturbed.
odio, sospetto, allucinazioni.
I collapsed at last with a shriek.
Infine collassai con un grido.
Remember the acorn;
Ricordate, la ghianda
It does not devour other acorns.
non divora le altre ghiande.
Torna all’indice di Spoon River
Testo solo in lingua inglese della poesia “Robert Davidson” – Spoon River n°108
I GREW spiritually fat living off the souls of men.
If I saw a soul that was strong
I wounded its pride and devoured its strength.
The shelters of friendship knew my cunning,
For where I could steal a friend I did so.
And wherever I could enlarge my power
By undermining ambition, I did so,
Thus to make smooth my own.
And to triumph over other souls,
Just to assert and prove my superior strength,
Was with me a delight,
The keen exhilaration of soul gymnastics.
Devouring souls, I should have lived forever.
But their undigested remains bred in me a deadly nephritis,
With fear, restlessness, sinking spirits,
Hatred, suspicion, vision disturbed.
I collapsed at last with a shriek.
Remember the acorn;
It does not devour other acorns.
Torna all’indice di Spoon River