“Elderly Tears” by Leonardo Sinisgalli

Amanda Holmes reads Leonardo Sinisgalli’s poem, “Elderly Tears,” both in the original Italian and in her own translation.Have a suggestion for a poem? Email us: podcast@theamericanscholar.org. If we select your entry, you’ll win a copy of a poetry collection edited by David Lehman.

Pianto antico

by Leonardo Sinisgalli

I vecchi hanno il pianto facile.

In pieno meriggio

in un nascondiglio della casa vuota

scoppiano in lacrime seduti.

Li coglie di sorpresa

una disperazione infinita.

Portano alle labbra uno spicchio

secco di pera, la polpa

di un fico cotto sulle tegole.

Anche un sorso d'acqua

può spegnere una crisi

e la visita di una lumachina.

Elderly Tears

translated by Amanda Holmes

The old find crying easy.

In broad daylight

in a hidden corner of the empty house

they break into tears

caught by the surprise

of infinite despair.

They bring to their lips

a sliver of dried pear

the pulp of a fig cooked on tiles.

Even a sip of water

can quench a crisis as can

the visit of a little snail.

This episode was produced by Stephanie Bastek and features the song “Canvasback” by Chad Crouch.

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