Ricordo un tale una volta ammettere
che tutto quel che ricordava di Anna Karenina
era che aveva a che fare con un cestino da picnic,
ed ora, dopo avere consumato un libro
dedicato a Barcellona,
la sua gente, la sua storia, la sua complessa architettura,
tutto quel che ricordo è l'accenno
a una gorilla albina, l'abitante di un parco
dove una volta stava la Cittadella dei Borboni.
Il suo perfetto candore sovrastava
tutte le date e i nomi famosi
mentre chi passeggia la sera si ferma davanti a lei
e la indica per farla vedere ai bambini.
La gente del luogo la chiama Fiocco di neve
ed è stata citata di nuovo in questo libro
nella speranza di tenere in vita la sua pallida fiamma
e dia aiutarla, nonostante il nome, a durare
in questa poesia dove ha trovato un'altra gabbia.
Oh, Fiocco di neve,
non mi importava nulla della capitale della Catalogna,
della sua gente, della sua storia, della sua complessa
architettura,
no, eri tu il motivo
per cui ho tenuto accesa la luce fin dentro la notte
girando tutte quelle pagine, in cerca di te dappertutto.
Billy Collins
Balistica
a cura di Franco Nasi
Fazi Editore 2011
Searching
I recall someone once admitting
that all he remembered of Anna Karenina
was something about a picnic basket,
that all he remembered of Anna Karenina
was something about a picnic basket,
and now, after consuming a book
devoted to the subject of Barcelona--
its people, its history, its complex architecture--
devoted to the subject of Barcelona--
its people, its history, its complex architecture--
all I remember is the mention
of an albino gorilla, the inhabitant of a park
where the Citadel of the Bourbons once stood.
of an albino gorilla, the inhabitant of a park
where the Citadel of the Bourbons once stood.
The sheer paleness of him looms over
all the notable names and dates
as the evening strollers stop before him
all the notable names and dates
as the evening strollers stop before him
and point to show their children.
These locals called him Snowflake,
and here he has been mentioned again in print
These locals called him Snowflake,
and here he has been mentioned again in print
in the hope of keeping his pallid flame alive
and helping him, despite his name, to endure
in this poem, where he has found another cage.
and helping him, despite his name, to endure
in this poem, where he has found another cage.
Oh, Snowflake,
I had no interest in the capital of Catalonia--
its people, its history, its complex architecture--
I had no interest in the capital of Catalonia--
its people, its history, its complex architecture--
no, you were the reason
I kept my light on late into the night,
turning all those pages, searching for you everywhere.
I kept my light on late into the night,
turning all those pages, searching for you everywhere.
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