[I am happy to present to Adelaide a poem by Viviana Viviani, “Fingo di non amarti” in its original version (from the collection “Se mi ami sopravvalutami”, Controluna, 2019), translated into English by a collective work of 14 students and into Spanish by some of them (Spanish native speakers). These students made their work during my Fall 2020 Intermediate/Advanced class at Florida Atlantic University and they had the opportunity to discuss their translations with Viviana Viviani. I have of course their written permission, beside that of the author and of the Italian publisher, to submit and have their works published. This actually would be wonderful for each one involved in this project. Thank you. Emanuele Pettener].
Fingo di non amarti by Viviana Viviani
Fingo di non amarti
rispondo tardi
ti faccio aspettare
mi sento scaltra
se sbaglio apposta
il nome dell’altra
mostro indifferenza
distrazione e assenza
dico: “stiamo insieme
finché stiamo bene,
viviamo il presente
senza promesse”,
sotto queste sciocchezze
da donna cresciuta
tengo nascosta
la bambina impazzita.
I pretend not to love you by Giuliana Barile, Angela Benitez, Caterina Casadei, Hugo De La Piedra, Alexandrina Dec, Rosie Kenna, Ryann Kretz, Richard Leon, Heidi Moura, Sasha Passadore, Mickela Pitter, Nicole Siedlarek, Dante Silvestri, Seth Stein.
I pretend not to love you
I reply late
I make you wait
I feel clever
if I purposely mistake
the name of the other woman
I show indifference
distraction and absence
I say: “We’ll stay together
as long as we’re fine,
let’s live in the present
with no promises,”
beneath this foolishness
as a mature woman
I hide
the crazy little girl.
Finjo de no amarte by Giuliana Barile, Angela Benitez, Hugo De La Piedra, Rosie Kenna, Nicole Siedlarek, Dante Silvestri.
Finjo de no amarte
Contesto tarde
Te hago esperar
Me siento astuta
Si me equivoco a propósito
El nombre de la otra
Muestro indiferencia
Distracción y ausencia
Digo: “nos quedamos juntos
con tal de que estemos bien”
vivamos en el presente
sin promesas,
bajo estas tonterías
la mujer madura
tengo escondida
la niña alocada.
Viviana Viviani was born in Ferrara, Italy. She is the author of the novel “Il canto dell’anatroccolo” (Corbo, 2013) and “Se mi ami sopravvalutami” (Controluna, 2019).Translators: Giuliana Barile, Angela Benitez, Caterina Casadei, Hugo De La Piedra, Alexandrina Dec, Rosie Kenna, Ryann Kretz, Richard Leon, Heidi Moura, Sasha Passadore, Mickela Pitter, Nicole Siedlarek, Dante Silvestri, Seth Stein. Editor: Emanuele Pettener is Assistant Professor and Writer in Residence at Florida Atlantic University (Boca Raton, Florida). He published “Oscar Wilde in Boca” in Adelaide, n.23, April, 2019.
