NOT YET SPRING

Posted on March 16, 2017 by Norwich Radical in Arts and tagged #readwomen, ada negri, clouds, february, flowers, hide and seek, in translation, italian women in translation, non e ancora primavera, poem, poetry, primavera, read women, seaons, snow, spring, translate, translation, weather, wind, women writers.

by Alex Valente

Original Italian by Ada Negri (1870-1945), ‘Non è ancora primavera’

Spring? It’s still early February
and there is plenty of snow to fall, still:
still plenty of cold to bite.
And yet, now that I consider it
and take a better look around,
the announcement of Spring is not just
on the mouth of the flower seller
left on the corner of the road.Continue Reading

MAYBE TUESDAY

Posted on June 6, 2016 by Norwich Radical in Arts and tagged conclusion, creative, creative writing, embrace, end, ginevra lilli, handshake, happy ending, in translation, italian, italian women in translation, Italy, language, Magari martedì, maybe, page, poem, poetry, see you soon, translate, translation, women writers, words, writers.

by Alex Valente

Original Italian by Ginevra Lilli (1972-), ‘Magari martedì’

They come, small line of dromedaries
in the desert. Thirsty words
lined up, also tied up
one to the other. One line
seemingly obedient. Consenting.Continue Reading

THE SKY STILL HOLDS US

Posted on July 23, 2015 by Norwich Radical in Arts and tagged arts, astronomy, creative writing, exploration, italian, italian women in translation, Mariangela Gualtieri, Pluto, poet, poetry, read women, space, stars, translate, translation, universe, women writers.

by Alex Valente

Original Italian by Mariangela Gualtieri (1951-), from ‘Naturale sconosciuto’

The sky still holds us
does not expel from its rotation
this round home of ours
and we reach the final ledge
with light articulated by stars
no longer looked at if not to call
their name.Continue Reading

TRANSONNET XIV

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Norwich Radical in Arts and tagged arts, creative writing, gender, italian, italian women in translation, Loredana Magazzeni, poet, poetry, trans, transgender, translate, translation, Transonnet.

by Alex Valente

Original Italian by Loredana Magazzeni (1957-), from Transonetti ‘XIV’

I have no one but me, I am no other,
body of mine appealing to reason,
not to the plural echo of this hour,
nor to the promise of processing.

Gender queries the tongue
and level within level it translates it
follows mixed routes in performing
its transhumanation, across the borderContinue Reading