A multilingual poem for the Mediterranean
Discover a poem created by 5 participants of the last Rencontre Jeunesses Med in Reggio Calabria in English, Arabic and Italian.
Below you'll find the words of the poem and a video of their performance!
Multilingual version
Il vento soffiava,
soffiava forte, ribelle, salato
sopra la pelle bruciata dal sole
sulle braccia forti e le mani calliose
su dita agitate a spiegare parole.
Below you'll find the words of the poem and a video of their performance!
Multilingual version
Il vento soffiava,
soffiava forte, ribelle, salato
sopra la pelle bruciata dal sole
sulle braccia forti e le mani calliose
su dita agitate a spiegare parole.
Su una sedia di plastica, in strada
dove la sabbia si mischia alla polvere
di fronte a quel mare che hai chiamato casa
dove ogni riva si bagna di storia
dove la sabbia si mischia alla polvere
di fronte a quel mare che hai chiamato casa
dove ogni riva si bagna di storia
Osservando chi parte e chi arriva,
e chi lo attraversa
perché alla ricerca di un posto migliore
e chi lo abbandona e si porta in valigia
ricordi e fatica
speranze e sudore.
e chi lo attraversa
perché alla ricerca di un posto migliore
e chi lo abbandona e si porta in valigia
ricordi e fatica
speranze e sudore.
E da quella sedia sbiadita dal tempo
racconterai al vento le vite dei figli
e le voci di figlie del Mediterraneo
tra queste correnti di Scilla e Cariddi.
racconterai al vento le vite dei figli
e le voci di figlie del Mediterraneo
tra queste correnti di Scilla e Cariddi.
*
هناك شخص على ضفاف البحر يشعر بك ويهتم،
لا يتحدث لغتك.. لكنه يتحدث قلبك..
لا يهتم للعواقب... لكنه يهتم لقضيتك..
بالرغم من أن بعضنا لا يمكنه أن يرى البحر... لكن تأثير البحر موجود..
يمكن لتأثيره أن يصلك.. ويمكن لهواء البحر أن يلمس وجهك... كذلك أثر التضامن...
يصل إليك.. يعطيك القوة..
يعطيك القوة لتقاوم...
يعطيك القوة لتستمر...
يجمعنا البحر... فإذا وقفنا على الشواطئ... وأمسكنا أيدينا..
سنشكل حلقة...
تلك الحلقة ... هي مصدر الأمان..
*
Un gruppo di persone diverse
che si ritrovano davanti al Mediterraneo
un mare vasto
che abbraccia sentimenti
diversi e contrastanti
si guardano e si chiedono:
il mare è morte?
il mare è libertà?
il mare è un filo che ci unisce o una linea che ci divide?
Non sono di qui ma è da qui
che vogliono trovare
risposte comuni
di appartenenza
e non di differenza.
che si ritrovano davanti al Mediterraneo
un mare vasto
che abbraccia sentimenti
diversi e contrastanti
si guardano e si chiedono:
il mare è morte?
il mare è libertà?
il mare è un filo che ci unisce o una linea che ci divide?
Non sono di qui ma è da qui
che vogliono trovare
risposte comuni
di appartenenza
e non di differenza.
*
We are creative even if we struggle
Finding the energy until under the rubble
Finding the energy until under the rubble
We see the spark in this huge mass of wires
It's people in Gaza harnessing solar power
It's people in Gaza harnessing solar power
It's the "accrocco" style of the Mediterranean
Fixing things comme-ci comme-ça, mas o menos, ya3ni
Fixing things comme-ci comme-ça, mas o menos, ya3ni
It always works even if it's a big mess
But only if we are together it will be a success
But only if we are together it will be a success
In this mass of wires this is still the spark
We are here shouting endlessly in the dark
We are here shouting endlessly in the dark
That you should be here, too, connecting those wires
Or, for none of us, no energy, no sun, no life.
Or, for none of us, no energy, no sun, no life.
English translation
The wind was blowing,
blowing strong, rebellious, salty
over sunburnt skin
on strong arms and calloused hands
on fingers agitated in explaining words.
blowing strong, rebellious, salty
over sunburnt skin
on strong arms and calloused hands
on fingers agitated in explaining words.
On a plastic chair, in the street
where the sand mixes with dust
facing that sea you called home
where every shore is bathed in history
where the sand mixes with dust
facing that sea you called home
where every shore is bathed in history
Watching those who leave and those who arrive,
and those who cross it
in search of a better place,
and those who abandon it, carrying in their suitcase
memories and toil,
hopes and sweat.
and those who cross it
in search of a better place,
and those who abandon it, carrying in their suitcase
memories and toil,
hopes and sweat.
And from that chair faded by time
you will tell the wind the lives of sons
and the voices of daughters of the Mediterranean
amid these currents of Scylla and Charybdis
you will tell the wind the lives of sons
and the voices of daughters of the Mediterranean
amid these currents of Scylla and Charybdis
*
There is someone on the banks of the sea... feels you and cares about you...
Does not speak your language... but he speaks your heart...
Do not care about consequences... but cares about your cause...
Some of us cannot see the sea... but the effect of the sea exists...
The sea effect can reach you... the breeze of the sea can touch your face... and also the effect of the solidarity...
Will reach you... and gives you the power...
Gives you the power to resist...
Gives you the power to continue...
The sea brings us together... if we stand on the beaches... and held our hands...
We will form a circle...
That circle is the source of our security.
Does not speak your language... but he speaks your heart...
Do not care about consequences... but cares about your cause...
Some of us cannot see the sea... but the effect of the sea exists...
The sea effect can reach you... the breeze of the sea can touch your face... and also the effect of the solidarity...
Will reach you... and gives you the power...
Gives you the power to resist...
Gives you the power to continue...
The sea brings us together... if we stand on the beaches... and held our hands...
We will form a circle...
That circle is the source of our security.
*
A group of different people
That meet each other in front of the Mediterranean
A vast sea
That embraces different and contrasting feelings
They look at each other and ask
Is the sea death?
Is the sea freedom?
Is the sea a wire that unites or a line that divides?
They're not from here but it's from here
That they want to find
Common answers
Answers of belonging and not of difference.
That meet each other in front of the Mediterranean
A vast sea
That embraces different and contrasting feelings
They look at each other and ask
Is the sea death?
Is the sea freedom?
Is the sea a wire that unites or a line that divides?
They're not from here but it's from here
That they want to find
Common answers
Answers of belonging and not of difference.
*
We are creative even if we struggle
Finding the energy until under the rubble
Finding the energy until under the rubble
We see the spark in this huge mass of wires
It's people in Gaza harnessing solar power
It's people in Gaza harnessing solar power
It's the "accrocco" style of the Mediterranean
Fixing things comme-ci comme-ça, mas o menos, ya3ni
Fixing things comme-ci comme-ça, mas o menos, ya3ni
It always works even if it's a big mess
But only if we are together it will be a success
But only if we are together it will be a success
In this mass of wires this is still the spark
We are here shouting endlessly in the dark
We are here shouting endlessly in the dark
That you should be here, too, connecting those wires
Or, for none of us, no energy, no sun, no life.
Or, for none of us, no energy, no sun, no life.
