Mandolino City [English translation]

And already, at school,

it was a real craze

for your shoes

the black leather ones

with pointed ends,

the coups and the tricks,

bullshit

without interest.

You danced as you came back in

over the pavements, on foot.

You know the music,

you don't like only the

good stuff, that

of the Paris cigarette-selling cafés.

If your grandmother is a peasant1

your feet

have reseounded

more than once

on the paving stones

in the streets

when you were singing

tunefully

at the top of your voice.

In Paris

the Italians from Auber

can have lively laughter

and if Mandolino City

manages to get through their lips

they'll whistle it for you

or they'll sing it for you

with all their heart.

1. or farmer