Nu paru d'anni, forse mancu,
avie
mi ricuordu, ogne vota succedie
ca si ppe' ncunu dulure io ciangie
mamma intr'a vrazza sue mi stringie;
m'addimmannave addre mi dulie
e quannu gridannu io cciu' dicie
mi cce vasava: u chiantu finiscie
e u dulure passava e si nne jie.
Just a couple of years, maybe
less, was I
I remember, every time it happened
that if for some pain I wept,
mamma would take me in her arms and embrace me;
She would ask me where it hurt
and when I loudly told her
she would kiss me there: the tears would end
and the pain would pass and it would go.
Submitted by Guy Filippelli and translated by Dr. Tom
Lucente.
