Il maschio di Volterra
Anonymous
| English translation by Riccardo Venturi June 11, 2016 | |
| IL MASCHIO DI VOLTERRA Onesto me ne stavo a lavorare nelle galere al Maschio di Volterra: il capoguardia mi viene a salutare e la sua man con la mia si serra. Mi disse: «Allegri! Grazia faranno a te... Tutti i giornali parlano, combatteran per te. La grazia accetterò, se me la danno ma li diritti voglio da cittadino. Rinchiuso son qui drento da vent'un anno: non vo' morir col marchio d'assassino! Sette innocenti si volsero inserrar. Ma i nostri patimenti chi ce li pagherà? Dentro 'ste quattro mura maledette la meglio gioventù m'è già sparita. Ricordo due parole a me dirette, mi sento pronunciar: galera in vita... Mondo brutale, tu mi denunci a me: io, vittima di gente di rinnegata fe'. | THE DONJON OF VOLTERRA Alas! I sat working, sad and down-hearted Jailed inside the donjon of Volterra; a warden came and greeted me so happy, he shook my hands so merry in his face. He told me: “Be happy! You are pardoned! All papers are talking and struggling for you.” “I accept the pardon if I am granted with all my rights of a good citizen, I am innocent in jail since twenty one years, I don't want to die marked as a murderer. Seven innocents were sentenced to jail, who will pay for the pains we had to endure? Among my friends there was no Labori, my trial wasn't attended by Emile Zola, I'll have to suffer pains, insults, malice, I bit in anger my sheets and my blankets. if I think of all what I'll have to endure and I feel dying in my tormented soul. Shut up in this damned prison cell I have spent all of my youth years, we were insulted and so deeply offended when we were sentenced to life imprisonment. You cruel world! Why did I come to you? I am the victim of treacherous policemen. My thoughts keep flying back night and day there to the streets next to Borgo La Croce, Via dei Pilastri and Via Ghibellina, and Borgo Allegri and Piazza Santa Croce. You cruel world! Why did I come to you? I am the victim of treacherous policemen. Now that my innocence is acknowledged, now that my hair, you see, has turned grey, I say my thanks to the excellent scientist who turned my white hair into grey. Seven innocents were sentenced to jail, who will pay for the pains we had to endure? Now I remember that vile, infamous Alessi and all others who swore my life away, now I feel chilled and hear heart rending moans as if I were surrounded by hideous demons. Maocci's screeches rattling in agony, I tell him, 'Now you're damned for all your lies.' Farewell comrades! Long live liberty! Your comrade Batacchi won't never forget you all. Farewell comrades! Long live liberty! Your comrade Batacchi says you farewell, and goes. |
