Memories

ppoli61

@ppoli611674629039 · 26 Nov 2020

Memories

#poetry

A salacchino for lunch
while you make grass
ISOLA
at home waiting for you
your father's cane
the promise to leave you
penniless
and give everything to your brothers.
Better to follow
the ladies
on duty down in town
with the libeccio wind
and the seagulls.
Beautiful
gaiters and mustaches
falls in love with you and marries you
your husband
takes you with him
to number one
doorkeeper of Jews
rich coral.
He smiles at the ladies
has no desire to work
but he is a fine man
and your three children you have to raise them alone.
He grabs your ankle
when the passion
explodes
but you say no
and the cats meow in the attic.

IDA

beautiful and proud
the long and proud step
the hands of a lively fairy
sew your laces
Rosachiara's girl
when the ladies arrive
put down the work
and run to undress
bare shoulders in the frozen rooms
the poor disused linen
fingers pierced by the needle
you are more beautiful than them
most beautiful of all
in those clothes that
will never be yours
but you wear like a queen.
The children of notaries want you
of lawyers
at the great ball for the early twentieth century
and secret love is born
prohibited
you didn't tell us about
and that still let you
eyes glint with tears
hidden away
denied
divided by conventions
because everyone has to stay in his place
and the cats meow on the stairs.

ADA

Quick brunette
younger daughter
my mother's mother
wave of hair on the twenty-three
coal eyes
sour temper
so similar to mine
comrade’s wife
mother of a small Italian.
Under the bombs
on the wagon
with the cat in the womb
resolute and strong
you wren
white-skinned
and with a delicate profile
energetic and combative
to stand up to that husband of yours
with my brother's eyes.
You taught me
the measure
much more than HER
you raised me
loving me
maybe more than what
you loved HER
and cats sleep
on my sofa.