A twist, today, in my little series on What I Wore, What I Listened To, and What I Saw while walking. . . I didn’t wear this outfit for walking, at least not any further than to the patio of a favourite local restaurant where my husband and I celebrated our 46th anniversary a few weeks ago. The linen pants are a new purchase; I took advantage of a late-summer sale at a small, independent boutique, and while they are undoubtedly bright, I know I’ll love wearing them for years to come. That night last month, I’d planned to wear them with the navy cotton 3/4-sleeve T-shirt I’ve been wearing so much this summer, but the day clouded over, the temperature dropped, and there was a possibility of rain. No problem, my extra-thin cashmere V-neck subbed in perfectly. The pink Oxfords are a few years old, so the outfit altogether works just the way I like, anchored by older pieces.
The connection between this outfit and my walking series, though. . . . I can explain. The podcast I want to tell you about today was an Italian podcast I’ve been listening to lately. Speak Italian: Pensieri e Parole is geared at intermediate to advanced learners, and while I’m barely at the middle of that range, I’m thrilled to find that I can follow quite a bit of what Linda says about Italian culture, language, and literature.
I was especially pleased, a few weeks ago, that the episodes focussed on Amore, coincidental with the approach of said anniversary. The first episode began by recounting the love story of Dante’s Paolo and Francesca and then ended by speaking of the 20th-century love between the actors, writers, and directors Dario Fo and Franca Rame (I hadn’t known of this politically activist, artistic Power Couple, but I’m sure some of you have. If not, you might find this synopsis/timeline interesting, and this site advertising a documentary about the two, on the occasion of Fo being awarded a Nobel prize, has a three-minute video (trailer for the documentary) that’s lovely to watch)
The second episode under the “A for Amore” heading took a different approach, and I’ll be honest: while I understood enough of the poem, in Italian, to be charmed by the lists of Stefano Benni’s Le piccole cose che amo di te (The little things I love about you), and I could hear the repetition, with changes, through the several stanzas, I didn’t catch the deterioration of the relationship over time. . . For your enjoyment and amusement, here is a satirical twist on the poetic tropes of romantic, lasting love. . . .
Below: photo sof my handwritten copy of the poem, stanza by stanza, in both its original Italian and my English translation, such as it is. And underneath each photograph, a transcription of the English translation, in case my handwriting is tough to read (especially in pencil!).
If you’d like to see a clearer version of the Italian, you will find one here. There are also numerous videos of the poem being recited in Italian, if you care to search for them, or you can listen to Linda’s charming iteration in her podcast.
The little things I love about you
That smile of yours, a bit distant
the slow gesture of the hand
with which you caress my hair
and say: I would like to have such beautiful hair also
and I say: darling, you’re a bit crazy
And in bed, waking
next to your breathing
and on the nightstand
the evening paper
your coffee maker
that sings in the kitchen
the smell of the pipe that you smoke in the morning
your scent, a little indifferent
your amusing vest
The little things I love about you
That strange smile of yours
the continual gesture of your hand
with which you touch my hair
and repeat: I would like
to have such beautiful hair also
and I say: darling,
you told me that already
and in bed
awake
listening to your breathing
slightly laboured
and on the nightstand
sodium bicarbonate
your coffeemaker
that hisses in the kitchen
the smell of your pipe
even in the morning
your scent
a bit old-fashioned
The little things I love about you
that stupid smile of yours
the idiotic craziness
of pulling my hair
and you say: I’d like
to have such beautiful hair as well
and I say: Cretin,
Buy yourself a wig!
and in bed, to stay awake
and listen to you snore
and on the nightstand
your sock
and your coffee-maker
that exploded,
finally, in the kitchen!
the pipe that infests the air
until morning
your scent
of chimpanzee
that hideous vest
The little things
that I love about you.
I hastily assure you that our anniversary celebration did not feature the impatience, acrimony, and all-round Romance Fatigue that the woman in Benni’s poem expresses. Although there have been moments, to be sure. . . Let’s be real!
To keep the Italian theme going here, I just realized that I had a little bit of Italy with me the evening of our anniversary dinner. Not made in Italy, but that clutch is one I got from our daughter who lives there, back when she was selling Stella & Dot.
A closer view of my experiment in mixing-and-matching prints. . . I think I got a bit too excited about the opportunity to dress up a bit, these Covid days. . . .
I hope you enjoyed this foray into Italian culture — I had fun, at least 😉
And if I’ve whetted your appetite for Italy, I will recommend two films that we enjoyed re-watching recently: Vittorio De Sica’s brilliant 1948 neo-realist The Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di bicicletti). Astonishing, really, how fresh this still seems, more than 70 years after its release (and almost 30 since I last saw it, I suspect).
Second recommendation is for the 1996 co-directed (Campbell Scott and Stanley Tucci) Big Night which takes place in New Jersey rather than Italy, but definitely features Italian culture, particularly through its food. The cook in our family (you know, the guy I’ve been married to for 46 years) was very impressed by the character Primo’s prowess in the kitchen — Tony Shalhoub had clearly beaten an egg or two before he took on that role. . .
That’s probably enough for you on a Monday morning. I look forward to any comments you care to leave. I’m off to the physiotherapist this morning after two weeks of doing a set of exercises religiously, every single day — and my knee situation is noticeably improving, so I’m keen to hear what he says.
Take care,
xo,
f
The poem made me smile and I’m impressed with your translation. I’ve been married for 31 years and while it’s a very happy marriage, you can’t be with someone that long without acquiring some understanding of the way things between a couple can change. Sometimes for the better, sometimes not, but life always brings change. Congratulations on your anniversary and it’s great you were able to celebrate. Your outfit is fun and festive. I like the way pattern clashing can bring new life to familiar pieces. The clutch is gorgeous – it has an Italian sensibility despite not being made there.
I had fun reading this!
Brava, how very satisfying to translate that poem. I've just finished my second zoom Italian class for the week, looking forward to two weeks off for term break, ma le due professoresse ci hanno dato molti compiti!
I've only been married to my darling for 10 years, and we've grown closer than ever during lockdown, thank goodness, otherwise it would be totally unbearable.
Buona giornata da Melbourne.
I'm so impressed with your language studies! I just don't have the patience. But I'm also loving your OOTD! Great clutch that happily compliments the bright pink pants. The black top perfectly offsets the bright pink and the whole effect is just charming and happy to my eye.
Soon I'll be delving into the world of Peter Robinson, thanks to you. I'm always looking for good mysteries. Stay well and keep us posted on your musings and walks/bicycle/kayak expeditions.
Such a lovely outfit. The purse just lifts the whole ensemble to a different level. So joyful. Thanks for the link to the Italian podcast. I was thrilled that I could understand a lot of it. It's been many years since I had anything to do with Italian. I first studied it as what's called a "crash Higher" in Scotland – a subject studied to university entrance level in one year of study, as opposed to between 3-5 years. I then took it as a first year subject at uni, but switched to English lit after a month because I didn't like the novels we were studying in Italian. I regret that now. For my year teaching in France I asked to be placed "near the Italian border". I got the Rhone valley just south of Lyon – not that near, but it could have been Brittany! I sat in on the Terminale Italian class in my school that year, and had two trips to Italy with French people, so a doubly interesting cultural experience. One a two week tour to the Naples area with 48 teachers, the other accompanying a trip from my school to Florence for a week. I couldn't speak Italian to any great effect now, but it's lovely to get the brain in gear again by listening. Congratulations on your anniversary. Much to celebrate.
Enjoyable post. Great OOTD. Comfy and fun at the same time.
Marveling at your language studies and skills.
Listening to the First Grader GS's reading apps–repetitive as a tool for learning–"every story has a beginning, middle and end"–but even he is losing his mind with the repetition. Must say, I feel the same way. 🙂
Maria: I'm pleased the poem made you smile — me too!
I agree with you about the pattern-mixing– it's fun to change things up a bit 😉
Lorrie: Yay!
Jules: My Zoom classes start up again this week–unlike you, I've had no homework, except self-assigned listening, reading (and poem translating!). You're so right that it would be very tough to be in this Covid confinement with a less-than-compatible partner. . . Buona giornata!
Sally: I actually find the language study quite reassuring, comforting to do these days, so it doesn't feel especially impressive to me, but thank you! And thanks re the OOTD– it was fun but not too "out there," which was part of the appeal. Enjoy the Peter Robinson. You'll be set up for mystery reading for a while!
Linda: I'm very impressed that you could still follow so much of that podcast — it's a good series, I think, as it dovetails so well with my interest in literature and culture in general — although it reminds me of how little I know, still . . . I end up making lists of things to learn more about, but then there's just not enough time and they get abandoned 😉 You Scots, though, you're so good with language– Coffee Break Languages do great podcasts, well-organized, fun. . .
Mary: I don't envy you the responsibility aspect of the learning supervision . . . and I have to express sympathy with your First Grader. As a language learner, once I've grasped basic grammar and built a small vocabulary, I get bored if the content doesn't interest me. Good luck!
That poem…was fun to read with my morning coffee!
Good luck at your physio appointment.
I enjoyed the poem, which reminded me of words from Agnès Varda shortly before she died: "The story of a couple is always very fragile, especially over more than thirty years. People know it's not easy, and even though you have strong feeling and desire and endless love, it doesn't always happen." And I sense at the final stanza, love may indeed still be there, because the annoyances are in the dailiness and not the essence of the person. (Or am I too optimistic?) Anyway, your outfit looks casual and perfect for this estimable anniversary.
I don't know why but my eyes tend to glaze over when it comes to poetry, even though I am crazy about writing and wordsmithing. Maybe too many poems are pretentious? This one isn't. It (or your translation of it) is witty and sly. Thank you for sharing it and kudos for the work. Translation is an underappreciated art.
Love your outfit but especially that bag! It looks like a rag rug, in the best possible way. Love the colors, love the fringe, love the size and shape, would insist on a cross-body strap. I like to have my hands free.
Beautiful poem!
Your italian is almost perfect-brava!
Dottoressa
Both those films. So good, especially Big Night which I love. The last scene makes me sigh. I think I will treat myself to a re-watch soon. And that touching scene in Bicycle Thieves, when they are eating the cheese sandwich and watching the other families tuck in. Better not give the game away too much…
I love those pants. And am, as always, in awe of your capacity and desire to learn. My favorite quote about long marriages is from Love in the Time of Cholera.
“Together they had overcome the daily incomprehension, the instantaneous hatred, the reciprocal nastiness, and fabulous flashes of glory in the conjugal conspiracy. It was time when they both loved each other best, without hurry or excess, when both were most conscious of and grateful for their incredible victories over adversity. Life would still present them with other moral trials, of course, but that no longer mattered: they were on the other shore.”
Hostess: Glad you enjoyed. (and thanks, the physio appointment went well)
Duchesse: Your interpretation is credible (and based on experience ;-). . . I think it works either way, but the truth is that she is still there, lying awake listening to his snoring. So that she may yet feel echoes of that first love, still feel surges, whether of fondness or of more passionate desire. . . It can't all be Wine and Roses, right?
Taste of France: I know many readers who can't find their way into poetry. In my experience from years of reading and teaching and talking about poetry, I suspect that could be remedied if reader and poem were correctly matched, if the right doorway or path were introduced, but if it's "juste pas votre truc," that's fine too. I don't think it's because too many poems are pretentious, but we can agree to disagree here. I'm pleased I found an exception for you, that you enjoyed this poem. And thank you for the clutch enthusiasm — it's a cool fabric, isn't it? But I'm with you on the lack of a strap, so it doesn't get out of the closet often.
Dottoressa: Thank you! You're being too kind, but I love the compliment on my Italian. I'm having fun with it.
Annie Green: I'm so pleased someone responded to my mention of those films — I love them both and am now resolving to re-watch more often. . . Did you ever see Hanif Kureishi's London Kills Me? I once wrote a paper comparing it to Bicycle Thieves. .
Lisa: That quotation is so good; it's so long since I read that wonderful novel, and I remember very little of it, to be honest. So thank you for the reminder. . .
Thank you for the link to the Italian podcast. In general, I prefer reading to listening, but in the interest of broadening my language skills I will try to find a slot for this.
Isn't translation fun? (As long as the original is worth the effort, that is.)
Eleonore: Honestly, I'm the same way — I prefer reading to listening, but I've really been making an effort in both French and Italian to improve my aural comprehension, especially because I'm already challenged by some hearing impairment.
And yes, I do find the translation fun — and, of course, I wish I had greater command of the subtleties, the nuances. . .