The Edge

The poem is taken from the only volume of poetry, “Five Poems” (2002). written by American prose-writer Toni Morrison (1931-2019).

THE EDGE

He was a boy – just a boy –
and I was a very young girl.
In blazing light and shadows trimmed in gold
we took the risk of love
the grist of love
the dreamy, steamy mist of love.
For he was a boy – just a boy –
and I was a very young girl
racing to the edge of love
the bed of love
the love-me- til-I’m-dead of love.
He was a boy – just a boy –
and I was a very young girl.

We were new to time
and dreams were real.
We could play out the line
[Get] to the edge of life
the bed of life
the love-me-til-I’m-dead of life.
For he was a boy – just a boy –
and I was a very young girl.

The poem describes a young girl’s first sexual experience. It is a moment of excitement and tension, a new experience where dreams are real, and she feels free to get to the edge and cross the line of innocence.

IL LIMITE

Lui era un ragazzo – solo un ragazzo –
e io una ragazzina.
Nella luce ardente e nelle ombre contornate d’oro
ci siamo esposti all’azzardo dell’amore
al traguardo dell’amore
all’annebbiamento sognante e maliardo dell’amore
Perché lui era un ragazzo – solo un ragazzo –
e io una ragazzina.
che correva verso il limite dell’amore
il letto dell’amore
l’amami-fino-alla-morte dell’amore.
Lui era un ragazzo – solo un ragazzo –
e io una ragazzina.

Eravamo nuovi alla situazione
e i sogni erano reali.
Superammo nel gioco ogni recinzione
fino al limite della vita
il letto della vita
l’amami-fino-alla-morte della vita.
Perché lui era un ragazzo – solo un ragazzo –
e io una ragazzina.
(L.Z.)

Durante la traduzione, ho cercato di riprodurre l’attenzione dedicata da Morrison ai suoni, come si nota nelle parole “grist”, “risk” e “mist”.

_{image: Dante Gabriel Rossetti  (between1860 and 1862) – Victoria and Albert Museum}