Poetry International Poetry International
Poem

Stefano Dal Bianco

The senses

The peach-tree that I see blossoming among the ruins  of the city of Milan is not life
triumphing over cement, but only cement air, a life of cement inside the tree, my life.
Our life eluded on the roof-tops.

So I look at the shape of the peach-tree,
I carve into its little thief-like foliage
the word plant, the word word
that may save it
that may save me and I try to say: yes,
for the force of a wall, yes,
for time to repeat
many times the same season
and never in my house.

On the wall, there’s seven senses
One tied to the other, two by two, one consolidating
the other disappearing without fear of dreaming . . .

They’re arranged in the shape of a poem, which says:

                “The first sense
                is the sense of joy, without purpose, as when
                one thing reveals itself.
        
                The second is that same thing, made close,
                of which you  must never speak.
        
                The third sense is nocturnal,
                where nobody sees anything
                where the mind remains the same.
        
                The fourth sense is with our friend the flower
                and you and it are single thing
                under a clear sky abandoned.
        
                The fifth sense is far from love.
        
                The sixth sense is not-of-yours.
        
                The last sense is all of them,
                seventh sense inexpiable,
                hardens
                the word into word, the wall into
                wall.”

Tiny humanity,
same substance of my heart,
make me of the dead and I shall be saved.

I sensi

I sensi

Il pesco che vedo fiorito tra i cumuli della città di Milano non è l’idea della vita che
vince il cemento ma solo un’aria di cemento, una vita di cemento nel pesco, la mia vita.
La nostra vita elusa sopra i tetti.

Allora guardo la forma del pesco,
scavo nella sua chioma piccola di ladro
la parola pianta, la parola parola
che lo possa salvare
che mi possa salvare e provo a dire: sì,
per la forza di una parete, sì,
perché il tempo ripeta
tante volte la stessa stagione
e mai nella mia casa.

Sono sul muro sette sensi
legati l’uno all’altro a due a due, consolidandosi
l’uno, l’altro sparendo senza paura di sognare . . .

Sono disposti in forma di poesia, che dice:

                “Il primo senso
                è il senso della gioia, senza scopo, come quando
                si rivela una cosa.

                Il secondo è quella cosa, resa vicina,
                di cui non devi mai parlare.

                Il terzo senso è notturno,
                dove nessuno vede niente
                dove la mente resta uguale.

                Il quarto senso è con l’amico fiore,
                e tu e lui siete una cosa
                abbandonata sotto un cielo chiaro.

                Il quinto senso è lontano dall’amore.

                Il sesto senso è non di te.

                L’ultimo senso è tutti quanti,
                settimo senso inespiabile,
                indurisce
                la parola in parola, il muro in
                muro.”

Umanità minuta,
della stessa sostanza del mio cuore,
fammi dei morti e io sarò salvato.
Close

The senses

The peach-tree that I see blossoming among the ruins  of the city of Milan is not life
triumphing over cement, but only cement air, a life of cement inside the tree, my life.
Our life eluded on the roof-tops.

So I look at the shape of the peach-tree,
I carve into its little thief-like foliage
the word plant, the word word
that may save it
that may save me and I try to say: yes,
for the force of a wall, yes,
for time to repeat
many times the same season
and never in my house.

On the wall, there’s seven senses
One tied to the other, two by two, one consolidating
the other disappearing without fear of dreaming . . .

They’re arranged in the shape of a poem, which says:

                “The first sense
                is the sense of joy, without purpose, as when
                one thing reveals itself.
        
                The second is that same thing, made close,
                of which you  must never speak.
        
                The third sense is nocturnal,
                where nobody sees anything
                where the mind remains the same.
        
                The fourth sense is with our friend the flower
                and you and it are single thing
                under a clear sky abandoned.
        
                The fifth sense is far from love.
        
                The sixth sense is not-of-yours.
        
                The last sense is all of them,
                seventh sense inexpiable,
                hardens
                the word into word, the wall into
                wall.”

Tiny humanity,
same substance of my heart,
make me of the dead and I shall be saved.

The senses

The peach-tree that I see blossoming among the ruins  of the city of Milan is not life
triumphing over cement, but only cement air, a life of cement inside the tree, my life.
Our life eluded on the roof-tops.

So I look at the shape of the peach-tree,
I carve into its little thief-like foliage
the word plant, the word word
that may save it
that may save me and I try to say: yes,
for the force of a wall, yes,
for time to repeat
many times the same season
and never in my house.

On the wall, there’s seven senses
One tied to the other, two by two, one consolidating
the other disappearing without fear of dreaming . . .

They’re arranged in the shape of a poem, which says:

                “The first sense
                is the sense of joy, without purpose, as when
                one thing reveals itself.
        
                The second is that same thing, made close,
                of which you  must never speak.
        
                The third sense is nocturnal,
                where nobody sees anything
                where the mind remains the same.
        
                The fourth sense is with our friend the flower
                and you and it are single thing
                under a clear sky abandoned.
        
                The fifth sense is far from love.
        
                The sixth sense is not-of-yours.
        
                The last sense is all of them,
                seventh sense inexpiable,
                hardens
                the word into word, the wall into
                wall.”

Tiny humanity,
same substance of my heart,
make me of the dead and I shall be saved.
Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
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Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
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Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
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