Together with Daniele Gennaro, has three poems by Kenneth Koch.
A special thanks goes to Richard Durand for his more important suggestions and valuable encouragement during these translations.
One train may hide another
(sign of a level crossing in Kenya)
In a poem, a line may hide another, as
at a level crossing, one train may hide another train.
That is, if you wait to cross the tracks
, wait a minute
at least after the first train has passed. So when you read
expected to have read the next verse -
after which you can get on with reading.
In a family one sister may conceal another.
So when do the court, it is better to have both an eye
otherwise come to find one, but you fall in love with each other.
A father or brother may hide the man,
if you are a woman, you've been waiting for love.
So there is always something in front of the other
as the words are in front of objects, feelings and ideas.
A desire can hide another. And the reputation of a person can hide
the reputation of another person. One dog may conceal another On a lawn
, so if you run away from the first does not mean that you are safe;
A lilac may hide another and then many other lilacs and on the Appia Antica one tomb
can hide a number of other graves. In love, one reproach may hide another,
a little complaint may hide a more great.
injustice may hide another - one colonial may hide another,
A striking red uniform another, and another, an entire row. A bath may hide another bath
as when, after a bath, you go out in the rain.
idea may hide another: life is simple
hide life is incredibly complex, as in the prose of Gertrude Stein
a sentence hides another and is also another phrase. And in the laboratory
invention may hide another invention, a
evening may hide another, a shadow, a nest of shadows.
A dark-red or blue or purple - this is a picture of someone who
copy Matisse. One expects that the tracks pass, these double
hidden or sometimes these similarities. An identical twin
can hide another. And there can be in even more! The midwife
down the valley of the Var lived there, my wife and I, but
a life hid another life. And now she is gone and I'm here. A lively
wife hides a clumsy child. The daughter in turn
hiding his daughter alive.
are in a railway station and the daughter keeps a bag
largest purse of the mother and manages to hide it.
offering to take her daughter's bag one finds oneself face
and the mother must be wearing it too. So one hitchhiker
may deliberately hide another and even a cup of coffee
another until one gets nervous. One love may hide another love or the love
as when "I love you" suddenly rings false and
discovers that love is better left behind, as when "I'm full of doubt"
hides "I am sure and is something that "
and a dream can hide another as is known, all along. In the Garden of Eden
Adam and Eve may hide the real Adam and Eve.
Jerusalem may hide another Jerusalem.
When you get to something, stop to let her go
so you can see what else is there. At home, no matter where the binaries
also represent an internal threat: a memory
certainly hides another, since the memory is just that, the eternal
reverse order of entities covered. Reading A Sentimental Journey
look around when you're done, look for Tristram Shandy ,
to see if there is, there should be, and even better
and deeper and hitherto hidden as Santa Maria Maggiore
can be hidden from other similar churches in Rome. A sidewalk
may hide another, as when you fall asleep and there
a song hide another song, a pounding upstairs
hides the beat of drums. A friend may hide another, you sit at the foot of a tree
with one and when you get up to go there is another
with whom you'd rather be talking. A teacher, a doctor
, ecstasy, an illness, a woman, a man
may hide others. It 'a break to let the first one.
You think, Now it's safe to cross and get hit by the next. Can
essere importante
aver atteso almeno un momento per vedere cos’era già lì.
(trad. di G.C.)
One Train May Hide Another
(sign at a railroad crossing in Kenya)
In a poem, one line may hide another line,
As at a crossing, one train may hide another train.
That is, if you are waiting to cross
The tracks, wait to do it for one moment at
Least after the first train is gone. And so when you read
Wait until you have read the next line--
Then it is safe to go on reading.
In a family one sister may conceal another,
So, when you are courting, it's best to have them all in view
Otherwise in coming to find one you may love another.
One father or one brother may hide the man,
If you are a woman, whom you have been waiting to love.
So always standing in front of something the other
As words stand in front of objects, feelings, and ideas.
One wish may hide another. And one person's reputation may hide
The reputation of another. One dog may conceal another
On a lawn, so if you escape the first one you're not necessarily safe;
One lilac may hide another and then a lot of lilacs and on the Appia
Antica one tomb
May hide a number of other tombs. In love, one reproach may hide another,
One small complaint may hide a great one.
One injustice may hide another--one colonial may hide another,
One blaring red uniform another, and another, a whole column. One bath
may hide another bath
As when, after bathing, one walks out into the rain.
One idea may hide another: Life is simple
Hide Life is incredibly complex, as in the prose of Gertrude Stein
One sentence hides another and is another as well. And in the laboratory
One invention may hide another invention,
One evening may hide another, one shadow, a nest of shadows.
One dark red, or one blue, or one purple--this is a painting
By someone after Matisse. One waits at the tracks until they pass,
These hidden doubles or, sometimes, likenesses. One identical twin
May hide the other. And there may be even more in there! The obstetrician
Gazes at the Valley of the Var. We used to live there, my wife and I, but
One life hid another life. And now she is gone and I am here.
A vivacious mother hides a gawky daughter. The daughter hides
Her own vivacious daughter in turn. They are in
A railway station and the daughter is holding a bag
Bigger than her mother's bag and successfully hides it.
In offering to pick up the daughter's bag one finds oneself confronted by
the mother's
And has to carry that one, too. So one hitchhiker
May deliberately hide another and one cup of coffee
Another, too, until one is over-excited. One love may hide another love
or the same love
As when "I love you" suddenly rings false and one discovers
The better love lingering behind, as when "I'm full of doubts"
Hides "I'm certain about something and it is that"
And one dream may hide another as is well known, always, too. In the
Garden of Eden
Adam and Eve may hide the real Adam and Eve.
Jerusalem may hide another Jerusalem.
When you come to something, stop to let it pass
So you can see what else is there. At home, no matter where,
Internal tracks pose dangers, too: one memory
Certainly hides another, that being what memory is all about,
The eternal reverse succession of contemplated entities. Reading
A Sentimental Journey look around
When you have finished, for Tristram Shandy , to see
If it is standing there, it should be, stronger
And more profound and theretofore hidden as Santa Maria Maggiore
May be hidden by similar churches inside Rome. One sidewalk
May hide another, as when you're asleep there, and
One song hide another song; a pounding upstairs
Hide the beating of drums. One friend may hide another, you sit at the
foot of a tree
With one and when you get up to leave there is another
Whom you'd have preferred to talk to all along. One teacher,
One doctor, one ecstasy, one illness, one woman, one man
May hide Another. Pause to let the first one pass.
You think, Now it is safe to cross and you are hit by the next one. It can be important
To Have Waited at least a moment to see what Was Already There.
Paradise
There is no way not to get excited when
that from which you have been disappointed
lifts his head from his arms and seems to want you to talk to again.
forget home and family
and you start walking or
car and go where you think this form of reality
can dwell. Not finding it there,
waste any further contact until you return
trying to forget the only thing
you can move (it seems) and that gave you what you will forever
but the form of disillusionment.
Yet often, looking toward the horizon there
-hostile to you? - There is something that you never found
and that without those who came before you, you would never
could imagine.
How could you think that there was a person who could make you
happy and that happiness was not the rough
phenomenon you've met? Why continue to believe in this reality
so much depends on the time it is granted
that has less to do with the exile of the year you
that everything else in life promises di lasciarti fare?
(trad. di D.G.)
Paradiso
There is no way not to be excited
When what you have been disillusioned by raises its head
From its arms and seems to want to talk to you again.
You forget home and family
And set off on foot or in your automobile
And go to where you believe this form of reality
May dwell. Not finding it there, you refuse
Any further contact
Until you are back again trying to forget
The only thing that moved you (it seems) and gave what you forever will
have
But in the form of a disillusion.
Yet often, looking toward the horizon
There—inimical to you?—is that something you have never found
And that, without those who came before you, you could never have
imagined.
How could you have thought there was one person who could make you
Happy and that happiness was not the uneven
Phenomenon you have known it to be? Why do you keep believing in this
Reality so dependent on the time allowed it
That it has less to do with your exile from the age you are
Than from everything else life promised that you could do?
Parlando a diverse persone contemporaneamente
Avete contribuito a tenermi insieme.
Mi piacerebbe che voi foste ancora qui.
Stop talking or doing anything else for a minute.
Indeed, please, for three, maybe five minutes.
Tell me which path to take over the hill.
There is a bridge there? I want company?
Tell me of the old who built the bridge.
What is "the Japanese economy?
Where did you hide the medical bills?
How I admire you!
Can you help me throw it all away?
I can help you throw it all?
You're done with this thing?
Who is the car salesman?
The canopy we had made for the dog.
I need some hug endlessly.
The sea is not so far away. You came
to the west in this weather?
I was sitting at home barefoot.
're wearing a cross!
That bench, look! There, under that beautiful pup!
Could I have a glass of scotch?
guess I wanted to make an impression on you.
's snowing.
Man Revlon has come from overseas.
This noise is annoying.
We did not want the child to come here because of the hawk.
What are you reading?
Which style would you want the moisture to explain?
gives me a little 'annoyance, but not much. You can smoke a cigar.
Authenticity is a word that I have ever used.
You saw that short skirt! You think it's camera?
The moon is a clam.
I can not talk to many people. Eat me alive.
Anyway, who are you?
I want to watch you all day, because you're mine.
Would you like to make a trip to Pizza Hut?
Thanks for telling me your sign.
This sun fills me with joy!
The turtle moves forward but the lobster is back. Silence won the game!
Well, damn you and the thermometer!
not want to ask your doctor.
did not know what you mean when you said that.
the cold is coming, but I feel terribly lazy.
If we want to go there
where there is a bit 'more light.
(translated by DG)
To Various Persons Talked To All At Once
You have helped hold me together.
I'd like you to be still.
Stop talking or doing anything else for a minute.
No. Please. For three minutes, maybe five minutes.
Tell me which walk to take over the hill.
Is there a bridge there? Will I want company?
Tell me about the old people who built the bridge.
What is "the Japanese economy"?
Where did you hide the doctor's bills?
How much I admire you!
Can you help me to take this off?
May I help you to take that off?
Are you finished with this item?
Who is the car salesman?
The canopy we had made for the dog.
I need some endless embracing.
The ocean's not really very far.
Did you come west in this weather?
I've been sitting at home with my shoes off.
You're wearing a cross!
That bench, look! Under it are some puppies!
Could I have just one little shot of Scotch?
I suppose I wanted to impress you.
It's snowing.
The Revlon Man has come from across the sea.
This racket is annoying.
We didn't want the baby to come here because of the hawk.
What are you reading?
In what style would you like the humidity to explain?
I care, but not much. You can smoke a cigar.
Genuineness isn't a word I'd ever use.
Say, what a short skirt! Do you have a camera?
The moon is a shellfish.
I can't talk to most people. They eat me alive.
Who are you, anyway?
I want to look at you all day long, because you are mine.
Might you crave a little visit to the Pizza Hut?
Thank you for telling me your sign.
I'm filled with joy by this sun!
The turtle is advancing but the lobster stays behind. Silence has won the game!
Well, just damn you and the thermometer!
I don't want to ask the doctor.
I didn't know what you meant when you said that to me.
It's getting cold, but I am feeling awfully lazy.
If you want to we can go over there
Where there's a little more light.
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