In the morning you always come back / Cesare Pavese

In the morning you always come back

Lo spiraglio dell'alba
respira con la tua bocca
in fondo alle vie vuote.
Luce grigia i tuoi occhi,
dolci gocce dell'alba
sulle colline scure.
Il tuo passo e il tuo fiato
come il vento dell'alba
sommergono le case.
La città abbrividisce,
odorano le pietre
sei la vita, il risveglio.
Stella sperduta
nella luce dell'alba,
cigolio della brezza,
tepore, respiro
è finita la notte.
Sei la luce e il mattino.

20 marzo 1950

Cesare Pavese





In the morning you always come back

The gleam of dawn
is the breath from your mouth
at the end of empty streets.
Grey light of your eyes,
sweet drops of dawn
over the dark hills.
Your step and your breath
flood the houses
like the wind of dawn.
The quivering city,
the smell of stone -
you are life, awakening.

Star dispersed
in the light of dawn,
rustle of breeze,
warmth, breath -
the night is over.

You are light and morning.

20 March 1950

Cesare Pavese

Translated by Margaret Crosland





In the morning you always come back

Dawn’s faint breath
breathes with your mouth
at the ends of empty streets.
Gray light your eyes,
sweet drops of dawn
on dark hills.
Your steps and breath
like the wind of dawn
smother houses.
The city shudders,
Stones exhale—
you are life, an awakening.

Star lost
in the light of dawn,
trill of the breeze,
warmth, breath—
the night is done.

You are light and morning.

20 March 1950

Cesare Pavese

(This poem was written by Pavese for his lover, Constance Dowling, an American actress.)





In the morning you always come back [*]

La tronera del alba
respira con tu boca
en las calles vacías.
Tus ojos son luz gris,
dulce gotas del alba
en las negras colinas.
Tu hálito y tu paso
como el viento del alba
a las casas sumergen.
La ciudad se estremece
tienen olor las piedras
vida y despertar eres.

Extraviado lucero
en la luz de la aurora,
sonido de la brisa
respiración, tibieza
la noche ha terminado.

Eres luz y mañana.

20 de marzo 1950

Cesare Pavese

[*] “Por la mañana tú siempre regresas”; en el original está en inglés.





In the morning you always come back

[Sabahları Geri Geliyorsun Hep]

Şafağın ışıltısı
ağzınla soluk alıyor
boş yolların sonunda.
Gözlerin gri ışık,
şafağın tatlı damlaları
koyu tepelerde.
Adımın ve soluğun
evleri suyla örtüyor
seher rüzgârı gibi.
Şehir ürperiyor,
taşlar koku salıyor -
yaşamsın, yeniden uyanış.

Şafağın ışığında
yitmiş yıldız,
esintinin hışırtısı,
sıcaklık, soluk -
sona erdi gece.

Işıksın ve gündüzsün.

20 Mart 1950

Cesare Pavese

Çeviri: Kemal Atakay / Kavram Yayınları

Photo by David Dubnitskiy