Poem
Valerio Magrelli
Lesson in meter
A steel comb uncurlsthe notes, swirls
a sweet music of cotton
candy. Like a charmer
of snakes I\'m charmed
hypnotized by the language
of sound that uncoils
while iron teeth
a rosary of hooks
tear at this butchered
carcass, and leave the listener\'s
heart in shreds.
It\'s my heart they\'re playing!
Quirk and stench. But break
the casing around the ballerina, and the carillon
stops, for bad taste
is its sweet harmonic shell,
a case for the baroque
pearl of affectation. Night.
Frankenstein\'s violin is calling.
And I myself am that musical monster
condemned to the musical wheel
of his musical nostalgia.
© Translation: 2000, Valerio Magrelli
From: The Contagion of Matter
Publisher: Holmes & Meier Publishers, , 2000
From: The Contagion of Matter
Publisher: Holmes & Meier Publishers, , 2000
Lezione di metrica
Lezione di metrica
Un pettine d\'acciaio filale note, sfila
una musica dolce di zucchero
filato. Come un incantatore
di serpenti incantato
mi ipnotizza la lingua
del suono che si srotola
mentre i denti di ferro,
il rosario di uncini,
strappano questa carne
da scortico, e sbranato
sta il cuore di chi ascolta.
Qui suonano il mio cuore!
Vezzo e lezzo. Rotto l\'involucro
con la ballerina, il carillon si arresta
perché il cattivo gusto
è il suo buon guscio armonico,
l\'astuccio per la perla
matta della leziosità. Notte.
Il violino di Frankenstein mi chiama.
E io sono quel mostro musicale
condannato alla ruota musicale
della sua musicale nostalgia.
© 1992, Valerio Magrelli
From: Esercizi di tiptologia
Publisher: Mondadori,
From: Esercizi di tiptologia
Publisher: Mondadori,
Poems
Poems of Valerio Magrelli
Close
Lesson in meter
A steel comb uncurlsthe notes, swirls
a sweet music of cotton
candy. Like a charmer
of snakes I\'m charmed
hypnotized by the language
of sound that uncoils
while iron teeth
a rosary of hooks
tear at this butchered
carcass, and leave the listener\'s
heart in shreds.
It\'s my heart they\'re playing!
Quirk and stench. But break
the casing around the ballerina, and the carillon
stops, for bad taste
is its sweet harmonic shell,
a case for the baroque
pearl of affectation. Night.
Frankenstein\'s violin is calling.
And I myself am that musical monster
condemned to the musical wheel
of his musical nostalgia.
© 2000, Valerio Magrelli
From: The Contagion of Matter
Publisher: 2000, Holmes & Meier Publishers,
From: The Contagion of Matter
Publisher: 2000, Holmes & Meier Publishers,
Lesson in meter
A steel comb uncurlsthe notes, swirls
a sweet music of cotton
candy. Like a charmer
of snakes I\'m charmed
hypnotized by the language
of sound that uncoils
while iron teeth
a rosary of hooks
tear at this butchered
carcass, and leave the listener\'s
heart in shreds.
It\'s my heart they\'re playing!
Quirk and stench. But break
the casing around the ballerina, and the carillon
stops, for bad taste
is its sweet harmonic shell,
a case for the baroque
pearl of affectation. Night.
Frankenstein\'s violin is calling.
And I myself am that musical monster
condemned to the musical wheel
of his musical nostalgia.
© 2000, Valerio Magrelli
From: The Contagion of Matter
Publisher: 2000, Holmes & Meier Publishers,
From: The Contagion of Matter
Publisher: 2000, Holmes & Meier Publishers,
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