Friday, November 07, 2008

NIGHT SHIFT POEM

While I was in hospital, a friend who works there composed this for me during a night shift and brought it to me the next morning. I was very touched by this and it helped me a great deal. With her permission, I now share it with you:

Se la vita ci richiede
di camminare su un sol piede
non conviene indietreggiare
ma piuttosto affrontare
ed il nuovo fronteggiare
anche se in tali congiunture
si fanno avanti vecchie paure
che prospettano sciagure
per tutte le zone oscure,
succede di reagire in modo scomposto
con la ragione fuori posto,
ci si ribella alla creazione
si va in sterile ribellione
ci si arrende mancando l’occasione
invece di appogiarsi al bastone.
Sta a ciascuno indovinare
in quale posizione ci si deve collocare.
Quel che adesso è un problema
è l’ignoto che crea pena
ma la diagnosi verrà
e l’atteggiamento cambierà.

If life requires us
to walk on only one foot
it doesn’t help to look back.
Instead, we must face it
with new ways of coping
even if, in such circumstances
old fears come to the fore
predicting disaster
in all our dark places.
Sometimes we react in panic,
not using our reason
but if we rebel against creation
we rebel uselessly
giving in and missing our chances
instead of leaning on a stick.
Each of us must work out
where he stands.
What seems a problem now
is fear of the unknown
but the diagnosis will come
and your way of facing it will change.

[My translation.]

15 comments:

Leslie: said...

How lovely! What a wonderful friend to write this just for you. Hope you're all better and life is treating you well. Hi to Simi.

jmb said...

What wonderful gift and I am sure it did help you Welshcakes, although we often are reluctant to accept things but want to make everything immediately right again. Hopefully all will be well again soon.

CalumCarr said...

There's a lot in this for all of us.

Thanks.

Dragonstar said...

What a lovely thing to do. I tried the sound of the original (music!) but I'm very grateful for the translation. My Italian is just about non-existent. That poem says so much, in such a small space.

James Higham said...

Sta a ciascuno indovinare
in quale posizione ci si deve collocare.

Si.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Hi, Leslie. Yes, it was such a nice thing to do. I'm making progress, but slowly. Simi sends hugs. Thanks, jmb. Yes, accepting that things are going to be slow is hard but I am getting there. My friend will be delighted to know that you think so, Calum. Hi, dragonstar. Yes, it does say a lot and you are right about the musicality of the Italian. I'm glad that line appealed to you, James.

Liz Hinds said...

How lopvely! What a great thing to do for you!

Trubes said...

What a lovely thing to do Welshcakes...Yor own special poem...now, it can't get better than that...such touching words too!

keep getting better and most importantly of all...Keep smiling.

Love to you and Simi,
Di.xx

Ellee Seymour said...

Yes, great words of comfort, and as good as any medication you are prescribed.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Liz and trubes - yes, it was a lovely thought.

Whispering Walls said...

How very kind - you have wonderful friends WL

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I do indeed, WW.

Nunyaa said...

How lovely and thoughtful, you have some very nice caring friends Welshcakes :)

CherryPie said...

What a lovely poem :-)

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

I do, nunyaa and I thank god for them. Glad you like it, cherrypie.

Counters


View My Stats