O PISCATORE
 
A tarda sera e spisse rinte a nuttata
me sose e me prepare pe’ ghi a mare
piglie e stivale na marenna e na n’capputtata
na lanterna o petrolio e na lampara.
 
Abbascia a marenella e n’coppe o vuzze
mall’esta a rezza e me prepare e rimme
pe’ esca tengo quatte chilo’ aluzze
so’ piscatore chesta e a vita ca facimme
 
Ci’amma abbusca stu’ pane n’coppe a nu mare
ascure e notte e cu’ friddo da vernata
nisciune ce’ cumpiatisce a comme pare
e ce’ scordene pure quanne stamme malate.
 
Purtamme e pisce n’terra rinte a rezza
pe campa’ a famiglia e pe’ servi e cliente
ce’ fanne spanteca’ o core cu’ sti’ priezze
pare ca e’ pisce e vonne pe’ senza niente
 
Amma lava’o vuzze e amma accuncia’ sti’rezze
e amma allesti’ sti’ coffe dinte e spaselle
preganne a Dio ca’ ce’ tene cu’ priezza
e pe’ mangia’ dimane ce’ girane e cervelle
 
A matina straqque muorte e senza forza
nun sapimme si tenimme famme o suonne
ci’amma ghi a cucca’ amma durmi pe’ forza
pecche’ dimane amma ghi a mare e natu jiuorne.
 

di: Antonio De Girolamo

THE FISHERMAN
 
Late in the evening and often after midnight,
I get up and get ready to go at sea
pick up my boots, my lunch bag and my overcoat,
a lantern the fuel and the sea lamp
 
down at the marina and on my fishing boat,
I prepare my nets and prepare my oars
for bait I’ve go four pounds of anchovies ,
I’m a fisherman and this is our daily life
 
We got to make a living out at sea,
in dark nights and in the cold of the winter
no body feels sorry for us as you would thing
and they even forget us when we are sick
 
We bring the fishes ashore in our nets,
to feed our families and to serve our costumers
they make us go crazy with the price they offer us,
its like they want the fish for nothing
 
We got to wash our boats and mend our nets,
reset the fishing lines in the baskets
while we pray the Lord to keep us steadfast,
and for our food tomorrow our heads are spinning
 
In the early morning dead tired and without strength
we don’t know if we are hungry or sleepy
we got to go to bed , and forced to go to sleep
because tomorrow we return at sea its another day.
 

by: Antonio De Girolamo