Journal of Italian Translation

Adria Bernardi/Raffaello Baldini
we’re all in a hurry, say hello to your mother for me,
which I’m always saying I’m going to stop by and visit,
then I put it off, put it off, days go by,
but sooner or later I’m coming,
and here’s Giorgio,
you’ll be happy to know that I saw your Milena
in her uniform, oh my gosh, she cuts quite a figure,
does she even ride the motorbike? she drives?
you understand I wouldn’t even know how to steer a wheelbarrow,
but wasn’t she a teacher, your daughter?
ah, she didn’t like school, oh well,
which would be a nice career, today there aren’t any
obstacles, today a woman,
don’t you see them? they do everything, even the military,
they do what they want, Giorgio, what can you do about it?
say hello to Graziella for me,
and now, here,
so I don’t forget, some coarse salt, sugar, oil,
a bar of soap, the other one’s just a sliver at this point,
a packet of talcum powder,
here, fizz tablets, which I’d forgotten all about,
and I want to get some honey, too, I’m a little hoarse,
which if you put it in some hot milk,
and then I should go and see Lucia
who lives so far down there it’s the end of the earth, wait now,
isn’t that Lucia, the one over there?
I was just about do go down to see you, and so
have you finished the skirt? no? I knew it,
you promised, you promised, wasn’t there enough material?
really? it’s such a pretty pattern,
and now nothing can be done with it,
goodness, you’re right, a flounce, either blue
or a dark brown, let’s go together to Miro’s,
how about now? you can’t go now?
tomorrow then, Lucia, I’ll see you tomorrow,
bread, no, there’s yesterday’s
which we throw away and people are dying of hunger,
it’s a crime, I’m ashamed, I am, but him, sure,
if he doesn’t have fresh bread, all right, fine,
a roll, for that pain-in-the-neck, bread’s good,
even the next day bread’s good, why wouldn’t it be,
the flavor comes out more,
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