When I Was Most Beautiful
Pete Seeger| Traduzione italiana di Riccardo Venturi | |
WHEN I WAS MOST BEAUTIFUL When I was most beautiful: Towns were fallen down, and; Through the unlikely spot, I used to see various things: the blue sky, etc. When I was most beautiful: Many neighbors were killed In the factories, on the sea, and on the nameless isles; I had lost my chance to doll me up forever. When I was most beautiful: No one gave me any lovely gift to me; Men knew only hand salute, And left only their charming glances on me: they've gone. When I was most beautiful: My head was hollow, My heart was hardened, Only my limbs were shining in sorrel. When I was most beautiful: My country lost a war; "They must be kidding me!" I marched in, Rolling up my blouse sleeves, to the obsequious town. When I was most beautiful: Radio was fountain of Jazz. Feeling my head whirled as if I broke my vow not to smoke, I devoured the sweet foreign music. When I was most beautiful: I was very unhappy. I was very irrelevant. I was extremely lonely. So I decided: I would live long, if possible. Like a painter of tremendously beautiful pictures in his old age, Old Rouault of France, ... as you know. | QUAND'ERO AL CULMINE DELLA BELLEZZA Quand'ero al culmine della bellezza Le città stavano cadendo a pezzi E il cielo azzurro lo si vedeva Da posti impensabili. Quand'ero al culmine della bellezza Attorno a me si ammazzava la gente, Non ce la feci mai a truccarmi. Quand'ero al culmine della bellezza Nessuno mi fece doni gentili. Gli uomini sapevan solo salutare E poi se ne andavano via. Quand'ero al culmine della bellezza Il mio paese perse la guerra, Io sfilavo per la via principale In maniche di camicia arrotolate alte. Quand'ero al culmine della bellezza Il jazz aveva invaso la radio; Violavo il divieto di fumare, Che bella musica di un altro paese! Quand'ero al culmine della bellezza Ero anche al culmine della tristezza Mi sentivo in preda all'assurdo E alla solitudine Perciò decisi di vivere a lungo Come Monsieur Rouault, Che era Vecchissimo Quando dipinse quei quadri così terribilmente belli, Vedete...? |
