Tre madri [English translation]

1

[Titus’ mother]

‹Titus, you’re not God’s son,

yet there is someone who is dying in bidding you farewell.›

[Dismas’ mother]

‹Dismas, you ignore who was your father,

yet your mother is dying more than you.›

[Titus’ and Dismas’ mothers]

‹Mary, you’re shedding too many tears to bewail

just the image of an agony:

you know that, on the third day,

your son will come back to life;

let us bewail a bit louder

those who won’t be resurrecting from death.›

[Mary]

«I’m bemoaning the things of his that are taken away from me:

his slim arms, his forehead, his face,

his every drop of life that’s still living,

that I see is dying away by the hour.

«Son in my blood, son in my heart;

and people who call you ‟Our Lord”

look for a snippet of Paradise

in the effort of your smile.

«You’re a son to me, dying life,

this womb of mine bore you [when you were] blind;

like in my womb, now on the cross,

this voice of mine calls you, my love.

«Weren’t you the son of God,

I would still have you as my son.»

1. Jesus and the two thieves (Titus and Dismas) are agonizing on the cross, and their mothers are bewailing them.

Titus’ and Dismas’ mothers claim they have a right to lament louder than Mary, since their sons will be dead for good, while Jesus will resurrect.

Mary replies that she’s not bewailing the son of God; she’s lamenting her son just like any mother would.