osted 25 August 2006 by Joseph Salemi
I recently came across this wonderful poem by Gaetano Lino about what it means to be a Sicilian. I give it here in full:
Sugnu sicilianu
Di Gaetano Lino
Sugnu sicilianu,
e lu dicu cu lu me cori chinu d'unuri,
cu la peddi chi s'arrizza pi lu piaciri.
Sugnu figghiu di sta terra, di sta Sicilia,
chi avi pi figghi, gioia e tragidia, amuri e odiu;
sta terra chi fu' pi anni matri di centu genti,
e sangu di centu genti scurri nta li me vini.
Sangu di li greci antichi e di romani,
sangu di li nurmanni e di li paladini,
sangu di Spagna e sangu di lu saladinu.
Sugnu sicilianu, sugnu anticu;
sugnu tortu e forti comu l'arbulu d'alivu,
sugnu spinusu e duci, comu li ficud'innia.
Odiu e vinnitta, amuri e grazia,
sunnu la me vita,
rispettu e unuri supra a tuttu.
Sugnu sicilianu,
nasciutu mmenzu a li vigni di li muntagni,
vattiatu nall'acqua salata di lu mari.
Sarbaggiu sugnu, comu lu ventu di sciroccu,
cu lu focu di lu vurcanu dintra lu cori.
Sugnu sicilianu e mi nni vantu
lu dicu forti, lu dicu cu lu pettu vunciu.
Figghiu di sta terra sugnu, di sta Sicilia antica,
ca fici pi matri a centu e centu genti.
Sugnu sicilianu.
This is from the Spring 2006 issue of Sicilia Parra, the newsletter of Arba Sicula, an international organization that promotes Sicilian culture, history, and language. The newsletter is published here in New York City.
Here is my English translation:
I am a Sicilian,
And I say it with my heart full of honor,
With my skin bristling with pleasure.
I am a son of this land, this Sicily,
Whose children are joy and tragedy, love and hate;
This land that has been for years the mother of a hundred peoples,
And the blood of a hundred peoples runs through my veins.
Blood of ancient Greeks and Romans,
Blood of Normans and Paladins,
Blood of Spain and Saladin.
I am Sicilian, I am ancient;
I am twisted and strong, like the olive tree,
I am spiny and sweet, like the prickly pear.
Hate and vendetta, love and grace
Are my life,
Respect and honor above all.
I am Sicilian
Born amidst the mountain vineyards,
Christened in the salt sea's water.
I am savage, like the scirocco's wind
With the fire of a volcano in my heart.
I am Sicilian and proud of it,
I say it forcefully, I say it with my chest swelled out.
I am a son of this earth, of this ancient Sicily,
That has been mother to a hundred and a hundred peoples.
I am Sicilian.
----------------
osted 25 August 2006 - 11:29 PM
I recently came across this wonderful poem by Gaetano Lino about what it means to be a Sicilian. I give it here in full:
Sugnu sicilianu
Di Gaetano Lino
Sugnu sicilianu,
e lu dicu cu lu me cori chinu d'unuri,
cu la peddi chi s'arrizza pi lu piaciri.
Sugnu figghiu di sta terra, di sta Sicilia,
chi avi pi figghi, gioia e tragidia, amuri e odiu;
sta terra chi fu' pi anni matri di centu genti,
e sangu di centu genti scurri nta li me vini.
Sangu di li greci antichi e di romani,
sangu di li nurmanni e di li paladini,
sangu di Spagna e sangu di lu saladinu.
Sugnu sicilianu, sugnu anticu;
sugnu tortu e forti comu l'arbulu d'alivu,
sugnu spinusu e duci, comu li ficud'innia.
Odiu e vinnitta, amuri e grazia,
sunnu la me vita,
rispettu e unuri supra a tuttu.
Sugnu sicilianu,
nasciutu mmenzu a li vigni di li muntagni,
vattiatu nall'acqua salata di lu mari.
Sarbaggiu sugnu, comu lu ventu di sciroccu,
cu lu focu di lu vurcanu dintra lu cori.
Sugnu sicilianu e mi nni vantu
lu dicu forti, lu dicu cu lu pettu vunciu.
Figghiu di sta terra sugnu, di sta Sicilia antica,
ca fici pi matri a centu e centu genti.
Sugnu sicilianu.
This is from the Spring 2006 issue of Sicilia Parra, the newsletter of Arba Sicula, an international organization that promotes Sicilian culture, history, and language. The newsletter is published here in New York City.
Here is my English translation:
I am a Sicilian,
And I say it with my heart full of honor,
With my skin bristling with pleasure.
I am a son of this land, this Sicily,
Whose children are joy and tragedy, love and hate;
This land that has been for years the mother of a hundred peoples,
And the blood of a hundred peoples runs through my veins.
Blood of ancient Greeks and Romans,
Blood of Normans and Paladins,
Blood of Spain and Saladin.
I am Sicilian, I am ancient;
I am twisted and strong, like the olive tree,
I am spiny and sweet, like the prickly pear.
Hate and vendetta, love and grace
Are my life,
Respect and honor above all.
I am Sicilian
Born amidst the mountain vineyards,
Christened in the salt sea's water.
I am savage, like the scirocco's wind
With the fire of a volcano in my heart.
I am Sicilian and proud of it,
I say it forcefully, I say it with my chest swelled out.
I am a son of this earth, of this ancient Sicily,
That has been mother to a hundred and a hundred peoples.
I am Sicilian.
---------------
Posted 30 July 2007 ilSiciliano
Beautiful poem, It makes me think of my home city of ventimiglia
I recently came across this wonderful poem by Gaetano Lino about what it means to be a Sicilian. I give it here in full:
Sugnu sicilianu
Di Gaetano Lino
Sugnu sicilianu,
e lu dicu cu lu me cori chinu d'unuri,
cu la peddi chi s'arrizza pi lu piaciri.
Sugnu figghiu di sta terra, di sta Sicilia,
chi avi pi figghi, gioia e tragidia, amuri e odiu;
sta terra chi fu' pi anni matri di centu genti,
e sangu di centu genti scurri nta li me vini.
Sangu di li greci antichi e di romani,
sangu di li nurmanni e di li paladini,
sangu di Spagna e sangu di lu saladinu.
Sugnu sicilianu, sugnu anticu;
sugnu tortu e forti comu l'arbulu d'alivu,
sugnu spinusu e duci, comu li ficud'innia.
Odiu e vinnitta, amuri e grazia,
sunnu la me vita,
rispettu e unuri supra a tuttu.
Sugnu sicilianu,
nasciutu mmenzu a li vigni di li muntagni,
vattiatu nall'acqua salata di lu mari.
Sarbaggiu sugnu, comu lu ventu di sciroccu,
cu lu focu di lu vurcanu dintra lu cori.
Sugnu sicilianu e mi nni vantu
lu dicu forti, lu dicu cu lu pettu vunciu.
Figghiu di sta terra sugnu, di sta Sicilia antica,
ca fici pi matri a centu e centu genti.
Sugnu sicilianu.
This is from the Spring 2006 issue of Sicilia Parra, the newsletter of Arba Sicula, an international organization that promotes Sicilian culture, history, and language. The newsletter is published here in New York City.
Here is my English translation:
I am a Sicilian,
And I say it with my heart full of honor,
With my skin bristling with pleasure.
I am a son of this land, this Sicily,
Whose children are joy and tragedy, love and hate;
This land that has been for years the mother of a hundred peoples,
And the blood of a hundred peoples runs through my veins.
Blood of ancient Greeks and Romans,
Blood of Normans and Paladins,
Blood of Spain and Saladin.
I am Sicilian, I am ancient;
I am twisted and strong, like the olive tree,
I am spiny and sweet, like the prickly pear.
Hate and vendetta, love and grace
Are my life,
Respect and honor above all.
I am Sicilian
Born amidst the mountain vineyards,
Christened in the salt sea's water.
I am savage, like the scirocco's wind
With the fire of a volcano in my heart.
I am Sicilian and proud of it,
I say it forcefully, I say it with my chest swelled out.
I am a son of this earth, of this ancient Sicily,
That has been mother to a hundred and a hundred peoples.
I am Sicilian.
----------------
osted 25 August 2006 - 11:29 PM
I recently came across this wonderful poem by Gaetano Lino about what it means to be a Sicilian. I give it here in full:
Sugnu sicilianu
Di Gaetano Lino
Sugnu sicilianu,
e lu dicu cu lu me cori chinu d'unuri,
cu la peddi chi s'arrizza pi lu piaciri.
Sugnu figghiu di sta terra, di sta Sicilia,
chi avi pi figghi, gioia e tragidia, amuri e odiu;
sta terra chi fu' pi anni matri di centu genti,
e sangu di centu genti scurri nta li me vini.
Sangu di li greci antichi e di romani,
sangu di li nurmanni e di li paladini,
sangu di Spagna e sangu di lu saladinu.
Sugnu sicilianu, sugnu anticu;
sugnu tortu e forti comu l'arbulu d'alivu,
sugnu spinusu e duci, comu li ficud'innia.
Odiu e vinnitta, amuri e grazia,
sunnu la me vita,
rispettu e unuri supra a tuttu.
Sugnu sicilianu,
nasciutu mmenzu a li vigni di li muntagni,
vattiatu nall'acqua salata di lu mari.
Sarbaggiu sugnu, comu lu ventu di sciroccu,
cu lu focu di lu vurcanu dintra lu cori.
Sugnu sicilianu e mi nni vantu
lu dicu forti, lu dicu cu lu pettu vunciu.
Figghiu di sta terra sugnu, di sta Sicilia antica,
ca fici pi matri a centu e centu genti.
Sugnu sicilianu.
This is from the Spring 2006 issue of Sicilia Parra, the newsletter of Arba Sicula, an international organization that promotes Sicilian culture, history, and language. The newsletter is published here in New York City.
Here is my English translation:
I am a Sicilian,
And I say it with my heart full of honor,
With my skin bristling with pleasure.
I am a son of this land, this Sicily,
Whose children are joy and tragedy, love and hate;
This land that has been for years the mother of a hundred peoples,
And the blood of a hundred peoples runs through my veins.
Blood of ancient Greeks and Romans,
Blood of Normans and Paladins,
Blood of Spain and Saladin.
I am Sicilian, I am ancient;
I am twisted and strong, like the olive tree,
I am spiny and sweet, like the prickly pear.
Hate and vendetta, love and grace
Are my life,
Respect and honor above all.
I am Sicilian
Born amidst the mountain vineyards,
Christened in the salt sea's water.
I am savage, like the scirocco's wind
With the fire of a volcano in my heart.
I am Sicilian and proud of it,
I say it forcefully, I say it with my chest swelled out.
I am a son of this earth, of this ancient Sicily,
That has been mother to a hundred and a hundred peoples.
I am Sicilian.
---------------
Posted 30 July 2007 ilSiciliano
Beautiful poem, It makes me think of my home city of ventimiglia
