Il poeta [English translation]

In the evening,

at the cafe with friends,

there would be talk of women and engines,

it would be said that they are joys and sorrows,

he would cry and talk about you.

If we would go in the country to dance

we would try to get the most beautiful ones:

he would stay watching the stars,

would sigh and talk about you.

At playing cards, he was a true champion,

they called him the neighbourhood king,

but one evening, playing scopone1

he lost a point talking about you.

And finally one night he killed himself

because of the great mental confusion.

A pity, because he was special,

just like he would talk about you.

Now they say he was a poet

who knew how to talk about love.

What does it matter, after all, if one dies

and can no longer talk about you.

1. Italian card game