Valerio Rollone
Valerio Rollone was born in Turin in 1957. He lives in Livorno Ferraris (VC), where he worked in masonry with his brother until his retirement. His poems have won several prizes and are featured in publications such as Fërvaje, Musicalbrandé, I Brandé, armanach ëd poesìa piemontèisa, La Slòira, and Piemontèis ancheui. His carefully constructed poems, often rhymed, celebrate the mysterious grace of simple peasant life. They are featured in collective chapbooks such as Tra scivo e nivo (Through Wind and Clouds) (2012). His only volume so far is An col moment (At that Moment) (2008).
Ël sens (From An col moment)
Ël sens a l’é vorèisse trasparenza
ch’as fa lus a la lus e bin al bin
angagesse ant l’arserca sensa fin
ëd la radis pì ancreusa dl’esistensa.
E scheurve peui d’avèjla pen-a aranda,
lì doa ch’a l’é fiorìa, adoss ëd vita,
lus ant la neuit, ciàir ëd na stèila cita,
la promëssa d’avèj la gòj pì granda.
(Il senso «Il senso è volersi trasparenza / che si fa luce alla luce e amore all’amore / impegnarsi nella ricerca senza fine / della radice più profonda dell’esistenza. / E scoprire poi d’averla accanto, / lì dov’è fiorita, fonte di vita, / luce nella notte, chiarore di una stella piccola, / la promessa d’avere la gioia più grande».)
The meaning
The meaning is to want oneself a transparency
that becomes light to light and love to love
to engage in the endless search
for the deepest root of our existence.
And to discover then that we have it there besides us,
there where it bloomed, spring of life,
light in the night, brightness of a small star,
the promise to own the greatest of joys.