PROGETTO COMENIUS 2004 - 2005
Tolo da Re
INTRODUCTION
This poem is written in Veronese dialect (the dialect of the town). There are different dialects around Verona: the dialect of Lake Garda, of the mountain, of the southern part of the province.
The author presents the river Adige as a person: he was born in the Alps, he comes down as a young and lively boy, he doesn’t want to stop, he serves in the army, he arrives in the town in love with Verona and he married her with a great feast. Then he leaves the town and he is very sad. He flows as slowly as a funeral. He flows then through the Po Valley and he dies in the Adriatic, always thinking of his beloved Verona.
Such a poem in untranslatable, but we tried to prepare a glossary in order to translate some very funny expressions or whole sentences that help in the understanding of the poem.
Tolo da Re (1918 - 2005)
His real name was Vittorio and he was born in Brescia, but his parents were from Verona. He wrote a lot of poems in Veronese dialect and his most famous one “L’Adese” was published in 1968. Many of his poems were published on the journal “L’Arena”, the daily newspaper of Verona. He wrote also pieces for the theatre in dialect and he received a lot of prizes. We chose this poem for the third part of our Comenius project in November 2004. He died in January 2005 and so with our work we wanted to honour his memory.
The Comenius project
In our school we decided to work on this poem for the third part of the project of this year:
“A poem, a legend, a story that presents our region”
We worked in the second part of the school year and the five first classes (110 students) with their Italian, Art and Technology teachers were involved.
The poem was divided into five parts, one for each first class.
The students prepared a glossary from dialect to Italian with the Italian teachers.
Then they had to learn their part of the poem by heart.
They illustrated the poem with drawings.
The last school day the students recited the whole poem before other students, teachers and parents, then they illustrated their part and then they described their drawings.
Two classes worked also on the general description of the river (its course, the town on the river, the typical trees of the area, some news about the author, etc…) preparing posters.
L’ADESE
Tolo da Re
L’Adese
nasse italian
da na mare todesca a Passo Rèsia(1).
El se destaca
da la teta de giasso.
El scapa a salti,
a sbrufi:
discolo,
garibaldin
– no gh’è rosta che tègna
– da Val Venosta(2), fredamaregna,
el vien zò a rebaltoni.
A Meran(3)
el s’à fato i ossi.
I vol scarparlo,
imbragarlo.
Gnente!
Descàlso el core,
selvàdego,
co l’ocio verdegrìso,
con na canta mata tra i denti.
Ai monti ghe ride le greste:
tute rosse dal ridàr,
iè.
A Bolzan(4)
l’è un giovinoto
nasce italiano= he has Italian origin
da madre tedesca = from a German mother
si stacca= he leaves
dal ghiacciaio che lo nutre=the glacier that feeds him
a spruzzi= sprinkling
monello= little scoundrel
audace= daringly as a follower of Garibaldi
nessuna barriera resiste= no barrier can resist
fredda matrigna= cruel stepmother
scende rotolando= comes down rolling
è cresciuto= has grown up
vogliono fermarlo= they want to stop him
contenerlo= to contain him
inutile= in vain
corre scalzo= he runs barefoot
selvaggio= wild
con l’acqua grigio-verde= with grey-green water
con una canzone matta in bocca= singing a crazy song
le cime dei monti ridono= the mauntain peaks laugh
sono= they are
giovane= young man
vestì de pomari e de vegne
co l’ultima resina nel fià.
A Trento(5)el va soldà:
la caserma l’è sul monte
griso,
insulso,
pelado.
Iè scarponi le scomode rive,
iè stelete le stele del cel.
I sogni dei vint’ani
i se impìssa,
i se indrìssa,
i va in oca,
i se perde
drio’l canto verde
de na ràcola,
un gril.
Ala,
Peri,
Dolcé.(6)
La naia la fenisse,
l’Adese sliga el sangue.
A Cerain(7) el sbréga la divisa;
el spùa na parolassa
contro el forte de Rivoli(8) tognin,
el ghe volta la schena,
el sbàte via
l’ultimo ciodo de la crucarìa.
El se cava i scarponi,
vestito di meli e vigne= dressed with apples trees and vines
col profumo delle pinete nel respiro= breathing the last scent of the pine-forest
va militare= he serves in the army
grigio= grey
spoglio= bare
gradi militari= military rank
si accendono= they light up
svaniscono= they vanish away
seguendo= following
raganella= tree-frog
grillo= cricket
termina il servizio militare= he leaves the army
scioglie= he loosens
strappa= he tears
butta via= he throws away
ricordo dei tedeschi= memory of the German territory
si toglie= he takes off
el core in sata,
el respira,
el se destira,
el se veste de persegàri,
l’è mauro,
l’è morbinoso,
el ga vòia de sposarse.
Pescantina, Parona(9),
i vol fermarlo al Ceo(10):
el baruffa con la Diga,
el sbordèla,
el vinse,
el passa.
Eco Verona sotobrasso de Ponte Castelvècio(11)
L’è tuta bela,
tuta ciara e calda.
L’Adese l’è inmamàdo,
l’è in confusion,
l’è timido,
el se pètena,
el se lustra,
el se veste de muraiòni,
el se méte in testa i ponti,
el canta de tuta vena.
Adesso el se scadèna
El ciapa fià,
el la basa.
Co na “esse” el la brinca tuta,
co na “esse” el la ciama Sposa.
“In eterno! In eterno!”
scalzo= barefoot
si distende= he stretches
peschi= peach trees
maturo= ripe
vuol divertirsi= he wants to have fun
ha voglia di sposarsi= he wants to get married
litiga= he quarrels
deborda= he goes off the river bed
sottobraccio= arm-in-arm
chiara= bright
innamorato= he is in love with Verona
si pulisce= he clears himself
argini= barriers
a squarciagola= at the top of his voice
prende fiato= he pauses for breath
la bacia= he kisses the town
l’abbraccia tutta= he embraces the whole town
la sposa= he marries her
sbroca tute le campane.
Nono Rengo(12)el se desmìssia,
el stranùda,
el se incocòna,
el discòre come un sindaco,
el se torna a indormensar.
Castel San Piero(13) l’è un altar.
Fiori bianchi iè i cocài:
i ga in beco un si bramoso.
“In eterno! In eterno!”
le campane no ga più vosse,
le va in leto a una a una.
Ponte Nave,(14)
Dogana(15).
Al Camposanto (16)l’Adese el capisse,
adio Verona,
adio Verona.
L’Angelo da la tromba(17)
el saluda co na sonada
ingiassada,
dura,
garba,
fàta de làgreme e de piera.
L’Adese el se despera,
el camina come unòbito,
el ga l’anima de un vedovo,
el se smòrsa,
el se trascura,
el se spòia de muraiòni,
el se lassa la barba longa,
esclamano= the bells exclaim
si sveglia= he wakes up
starnutisce= he sneezes
si intartaglia= he stammers
tiene un discorso= he makes a speech
dormire= to sleep
gabbiani= seagulls
voce= voice
capisce= he realizes
addio= good bye
gelida= frozen
aspra= harsch
funerale= funeral
si spegne= he goes out
si spoglia= he takes off
el tase tuto,
el vol morir.
Al Ponte de la Ferovia(18)
el struca i denti,
el scantòna,
el vol desmentegàr Verona,
el vol tornar baléngo,
desbriàdo,
e che la vita torna a sventolàr.
El camina de onda,
el rìva al Porto(19),
el buta l’òcio a l’ultima montagna.
A San Michel(20)
el sfodra la campagna.
Boche de Sòrio(21),
Zevio(22).
Eco la Bassa
Svacada nel lùame,
rassegnada,
descàlsa,
dai giorni imbriàghi de sol,
da le noti in man a le rane.
L’Adese el se impìsola,
el mete pansa,
el rònfa:
nasse sogni pitòchi,
cuciàdi,
stofegàdi.
Ronco,
Albaredo(22),
stringe i denti= he grits his teeth
evita gli ostacoli= he dodges the obstacles
vuole dimenticare= he wants to forget
vuole tornare pazzo= he wants to return wild
senza briglie/libero= free/no reins
tornare giovane= to return young
cammina sbandando= he walks in confusion
arriva= he arrives
volge lo sguardo= he glances at
entra nella campagna= goes into the countryside
la pianura= the plain
distesa nel letame= stretched in the dung
senza scarpe= barefoot
pieni di sole= in the sunshine
notti piene di rane= nights full of frog croacking
si addormenta= he sleeps
si gonfia= he swells
russa= he snores
poveri= arm
piccoli= small
soffocati= soffocated
ècolo che’l se svéia:
l’è rabioso,
l’è dispettoso,
el camìna a bissabòa.
A Legnago(23) l’è cativo,
el fa dano,
el se ribela,
l’òcio neto el ghe se intòrbola,
no’l dorme più,
no’l ride più.
Gh’è qua la Tera
Polesana(24)
che l’è na mare straca de fiolar,
agra,
monta,
grendenàda:
la se spalanca a Badia(25)
co na ragosa e dura poesia.
L’Adese ormai l’è sordo,
el còa el so morir come i veci,
l’è un vecio,
la fumara
ghe fa bianca la barba.
Al Campanil de Cavàrzere(26)
el sente ‘l mar nel naso.
El sospira,
el capisse,
el lassa un testamento:
“Le me aque a la gente vèneta,
si sveglia= he wakes up
come un serpente= like a snake
l’acqua diventa torbida= he becomes turbid
madre stanca di fare figli= she doesn’t want to bear children any more
stanca= tired
stanca= exhausted
spettinata= ruffled
apre= he opens himself
rauca= hoarse
attende la sua morte= he looks forward to his death
sente l’odor del mare= he smells the sea
capisce= he realizes
lascia un testamento= he gives a will
le mie acque ai veneti= my waters to the people of Veneto
a Verona l’anima mia”.
Desso l’è in agonia:
el rantola,
el se sbianca, el se tàca a la tera,
el spalanca la boca
come par saludar.
Ormai l’è quasi mar.
Eco,
dèsso l’è mar.(27)
la mia anima a Verona=my soul to Verona
adesso=now
si attacca alla terra= he clings to the land
apre la bocca= he opens his mouth
per salutare= to say good bye
è quasi mare= he is nearly sea
adesso è mare= he is sea now
NOTES
(1) Passo Resia is situated in the Alps on the border between Italy and Austria (m 1550 above sea level) in the north-west part of the region Trentino-Alto Adige (picture 1)
(2) Val Venosta - the name of the valley from the source to the town Merano
(3) Merano – it is the main town in Val Venosta
(4) Bolzano – it is the regional capital of Alto Adige
(5) Trento – it is the regional capital of Trentino
(6) Ala, Peri, Dolcè – villages on the left bank of the river Adige before and after the border between the two regions Trentino and Veneto
(7) Ceraino – Chiusa di Ceraino – it is a gorge before reaching the plain of Verona (picture 2)
(8) Forte di Rivoli – Austrian fortress “Wohlgemuth” – famous for the Napoleon's battle on 17th January 1797 (picture 3)
(9) Pescantina, Parona – villages on the left side of the river, before Verona
(10) Ceo – Chievo – there is a dam. This suburb of Verona is now very famous because of the football team that plays in the Serie A (the Premier League). (picture 4)
(11) Ponte di Castelvecchio – the bridge is part of the castle of the Della Scala Family in Verona from 1260 to 1387
(12) Il Rengo – this is the name of the bell on the Lamberti tower in Piazza delle Erbe. It was rung to call the population on particular civilian occasions. It is not alone on the tower, the name of the second bell is La Marangona. (picture 5)
(13) Castel San Pietro – The castle above Verona (picture 6)
(14) Ponte Navi – one of the bridges over the river
(15) Dogana – the customs house
(16) Camposanto – the monumental cemetery of Verona
(17) L’Angelo – the statue of the angel on the main entrance of the cemetery (picture 7)
(18) Ponte della Ferrovia – The bridge of the railway, direction Venice
(19) Porto – The harbour. It is now a suburb of Verona, it was a river port.
(20) S. Michele – It is a suburb of Eastern Verona
(21) Bocche di Sorio – situated in the municipality of San Giovanni Lupatoto – they are three “mouths” that irrigate the countryside
(22) Zevio, Ronco, Albaredo – Villages in the Po Valley, south of Verona
(23) Legnago – A populous town on the border between Verona and Rovigo
(24) Terra Polesana – It is the name of the Po Valley in this area
(25) Badia Polesine – a village that belongs to the Terra Polesana
(26) Cavarzere – The last town on the river before the mouth
(27) The Adige estuary – The river Adige flows in the Adriatic in Porto Fossone. The length of the river is 409 km. (picture 8)