San Martino of G.Carducci

recited as a song in Cantonese-Chinese

dedicated to Carducci

Bernadette

22/11/2021

Mui Wo, Hong Kong

( painted , translated, written in Calligraphy, filmed and put together as a sequence)

San Martino by G. Carducci

La nebbia agl’irti colli
piovigginando sale,
e sotto il maestrale
urla e biancheggia il mar;

ma per le vie del borgo
dal ribollir de’ tini
va l’aspro odor de i vini
l’anime a rallegrar.

Gira su’ ceppi accesi
lo spiedo scoppiettando:
sta il cacciator fischiando
sull’uscio a rimirar

tra le rossastre nubi
stormi d’uccelli neri,
com’esuli pensieri,
nel vespero migrar.

Chinese version translated by me

霧幕峻嶺

雨洒煙昇

西北嘯風

呼白濤浪

怎得鄉阡陌間

蒸釀酒

酸撲恰新嚐

正舒心

轉朱烤

殘火光

壟不斷

霹靂

倚戶

輕哨

獵者

仰天

紅雲裏

歸雁黑

放逐愁

黃昏催

南遷

San Martin by Carducci

Translated by G.L. Bickersteth ( 1913)

The drizzling mists mount slowly

And all the rough hills veileth;

Lashed by the north wind waileth

The sea, grey like the earth;

But through the suburb’s alleys

A pungent scent from seething

Vats is wafted, breathing 

Of wine and festal mirth.

Stands at his door the huntsman:

Within, the logs are blazing:

He stands and whistles, gazing,

While the spit turns on the hearth

At dark birds-flock migrating

Thro’ the red-tinged clouds of even

Like thoughts to exile driven

From the mind that gave them birth.