La guerra di Piero [English translation]

You sleep buried in a wheat field

it's not the rose, it's not the tulip

watching on you from the shadow of ditches

but it's a thousand red poppies.

Along the bedsides of my creek

I want the silver pikes to swim downhill,

not the soldiers' bodies

cradled by the stream.

You said so, and it was winter

and, like the others, towards hell

you go sadly as the ones who must

the wind spits snow on your face.

Stop Piero, stop now,

let the wind pass a little on you

so that it brings you the voice of the dead in a battle

who gave his life had a cross back.

But you didn't hear it and time went on

with the seasons with a dancing pace

and you came to cross the frontier

on a beautiful springtime day.

And while you were marching with your soul on your shoulders

you saw a man at the bottom of the valley

who was in your same identical mood

but his uniform was of a different colour

Shoot him, Piero, shoot him now

and after a shot, shoot him again

until you see him lifeless

fall down and cover his own blood

And if I shoot on his forehead or on his heart

he'll have only time to die

but I'll have time left to see

see the eyes of a dying man

And while you are giving him this thoughtfulness

that one turns, sees you and gets afraid

and, grabbing his gun

he doesn't pay your courtesy back

You fell to the ground without a moan

and you noticed in a blink

that your time wouldn't be enough

to ask for forgiveness for every sin of yours.

You fell to the ground without a moan

and you noticed in a blink

that your life was through that day

and there would be no return.

My Ninetta, to die on May

you need so much, too much courage

Beautiful Ninetta, straight to hell

I had rather have gone this winter

And as the wheat was listening to you

inside your hands you held a gun

inside your mouth you held words

too icy to melt with the sun.

You sleep buries in a wheat field

it's not the rose, it's not the tulip

watching on you from the shadow of ditches

but it's a thousand red poppies.