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| Alice Pike Barney |
Là dalla prima rampa della seconda scala
Mi volsi e vidi in basso
La stessa forma avvinta alla ringhiera
Sotto la nebbia nell'aria fetida
In lotta col demonio delle scale
Dall'ingannevole volto della speranza e della disperazione.
Alla seconda rampa della seconda scala
Li lasciai avvinghiati, volti in basso;
Non v'erano più volti e la scala era oscura,
Scheggiata ed umida, come la bocca guasta
E bavosa di un vecchio, o la gola dentata di un antico squalo.
Là sulla prima rampa della terza scala
Una finestra a inferriata con il ventre gonfìo
Come quello di un fico e al di là
Del biancospino in fìore e della scena agreste
Quella figura dalle spalle ampie vestita in verde e azzurro
Affascinava il maggio con un flauto antico.
Sono dolci le chiome arruffate, le chiome brune arruffate sulla bocca,
Lillà e chiome brune;
Lo sgomento, la musica del flauto, le pause e i passi della mente sulla terza scala,
Svaniscono, svaniscono; al di là della speranza e al di là della disperazione
La forza sale sulla terza scala.
Signore, non son degno
Signore, non son degno
ma di' una sola parola.
(1930)
☻
At the first turning of the second stair
I turned and saw below
The same shape twisted on the banister
Under the vapour in the fetid air
Struggling with the devil of the stairs who wears
The deceitul face of hope and of despair.
At the second turning of the second stair
I left them twisting, turning below;
There were no more faces and the stair was dark,
Damp, jaggèd, like an old man's mouth drivelling, beyond repair,
Or the toothed gullet of an agèd shark.
At the first turning of the third stair
Was a slotted window bellied like the figs's fruit
And beyond the hawthorn blossom and a pasture scene
The broadbacked figure drest in blue and green
Enchanted the maytime with an antique flute.
Blown hair is sweet, brown hair over the mouth blown,
Lilac and brown hair;
Distraction, music of the flute, stops and steps of the mind
over the third stair,
Fading, fading; strength beyond hope and despair
Climbing the third stair.
Lord, I am not worthy
Lord, I am not worthy
but speak the word only.
☻
At the first turning of the second stair
I turned and saw below
The same shape twisted on the banister
Under the vapour in the fetid air
Struggling with the devil of the stairs who wears
The deceitul face of hope and of despair.
At the second turning of the second stair
I left them twisting, turning below;
There were no more faces and the stair was dark,
Damp, jaggèd, like an old man's mouth drivelling, beyond repair,
Or the toothed gullet of an agèd shark.
At the first turning of the third stair
Was a slotted window bellied like the figs's fruit
And beyond the hawthorn blossom and a pasture scene
The broadbacked figure drest in blue and green
Enchanted the maytime with an antique flute.
Blown hair is sweet, brown hair over the mouth blown,
Lilac and brown hair;
Distraction, music of the flute, stops and steps of the mind
over the third stair,
Fading, fading; strength beyond hope and despair
Climbing the third stair.
Lord, I am not worthy
Lord, I am not worthy
but speak the word only.
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