Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Davide Rondoni

YOU NEED PATIENCE IN LOVE

You need patience in love
and impatience, too,

light but leave
room for shadow, too.

The old pine knows this, tall, in the courtyard
who has seen through the windows
the strange installations of irons and ironing boards
posters fashionable till yesterday and has stopped
the flight of loves attracted by the void

and then has seen the glass open to the sun.

He knows, he has kept suspended
the changed voices of boys
and the looks given by women
alone smoking in windows.

You need patience in love
and fury, too,
the nice one of kids
who laugh and caper
if someone comes back
the races in the corridor, attracting attention

and that of the ancient pine which in the cold
and in the harsh silence of the city
exults and grasps its roots, hidden
like a wounded man his scars.

YOU NEED PATIENCE IN LOVE

Ci vuole pazienza nell’amore
e anche impazienza,

luce ma lasciare
spazio anche per l’ombra.

Lo sa il vecchio pino, alto, nel cortile
che ha veduto dalle finestre
le strane istallazioni di assi e ferri da stiro  
i poster di moda fino a ieri e ha fermato  
il volo di amori attratti al vuoto

e poi ha veduto vetri spalancarsi al sole.

Lo sa, ha tenuto sospese
le voci cambiate dei ragazzini
e le occhiate delle donne  
sole a fumare alle finestre.

Ci vuole pazienza nell’amore
e anche furia,
                quella bella dei bambini  
che ridono e capriòlano  
se torna qualcuno,  
le corse in corridoio, farsi notare  

e quella del pino antico che nel gelo
e nel duro silenzio della città
esulta e stringe le radici, nascoste
come un ferito le sue cicatrici.
Close

YOU NEED PATIENCE IN LOVE

You need patience in love
and impatience, too,

light but leave
room for shadow, too.

The old pine knows this, tall, in the courtyard
who has seen through the windows
the strange installations of irons and ironing boards
posters fashionable till yesterday and has stopped
the flight of loves attracted by the void

and then has seen the glass open to the sun.

He knows, he has kept suspended
the changed voices of boys
and the looks given by women
alone smoking in windows.

You need patience in love
and fury, too,
the nice one of kids
who laugh and caper
if someone comes back
the races in the corridor, attracting attention

and that of the ancient pine which in the cold
and in the harsh silence of the city
exults and grasps its roots, hidden
like a wounded man his scars.

YOU NEED PATIENCE IN LOVE

You need patience in love
and impatience, too,

light but leave
room for shadow, too.

The old pine knows this, tall, in the courtyard
who has seen through the windows
the strange installations of irons and ironing boards
posters fashionable till yesterday and has stopped
the flight of loves attracted by the void

and then has seen the glass open to the sun.

He knows, he has kept suspended
the changed voices of boys
and the looks given by women
alone smoking in windows.

You need patience in love
and fury, too,
the nice one of kids
who laugh and caper
if someone comes back
the races in the corridor, attracting attention

and that of the ancient pine which in the cold
and in the harsh silence of the city
exults and grasps its roots, hidden
like a wounded man his scars.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
Partners
LantarenVenster – Verhalenhuis Belvédère