Brothers Poem by Tom Billsborough

Brothers



From which regiment are you,
my brothers?

word trembling in the night.

leaf hardly open.

In the spasmic air
involuntary revolt
Of a man confronting
His own fragility
Brothers

Tuesday, March 20, 2018
Topic(s) of this poem: war memories
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
This is a translation of a poem by Guiseppe Ungaretti, who wrote many
great poems about his experience as soldier in the First World War,
The original Italian is as follows:
Di che reggimento siete
fratelli?

Parola tremante
nella notte

Foglia appena nata

Nell'aria spasimante
involuntaria rivolta
dell'uomo presente alla sua
fragilita

Fratelli
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Tom Billsborough 07 May 2018

Thanks, Susan. My Spanish master banned me from learning Italian (as a side-line) because I kept mixing up the words! My grasp of Italian is not great but I do have a complete set of Ungaretti's work in Italianand may try another translation soon. I can always ask Fabrizio for help if I get stuck!

1 0 Reply
Susan Williams 07 May 2018

Thank you for translating- -you make me feel that my education has been deficient. I took one year of high school Spanish and no other. I wish I had- -how wonderful it must be to read these in their native voice. Thank you again, my scholarly friend!

0 0 Reply
Unwritten Soul 22 April 2018

I may not understand the original, as original may have its own feeling in its written language BUT what you done here, i think you choose right words and best fitting lines to say this in English It helps me to feel the air like i know and understand what original poet tried to tell for that i must say well done Tom for good translation and to share this piece!

1 0 Reply
Tom billsborough 20 March 2018

A Crow by any other name is still a bird brain! Are you still writing verbiage which would shame an average six year old? Pity you've hidden yourself in the your nest. We could do with a good laugh. Mind you those Jude & Crow efforts were great sleeping aids.

3 0 Reply
Fate. 20 March 2018

Why don't you write you own boring crap. Loser!

0 2 Reply
READ THIS POEM IN OTHER LANGUAGES
Tom Billsborough

Tom Billsborough

Preston Lancashire England
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