Con una rosa
Vinicio Capossela
With a Rose
With a rose you said
come find me
all evening I will remain alone
and I for you..
die for you..
with a rose I came to you
white like clouds from afar
dark like a night wasted in vain
like the foam that froths over the sea
white is not the rose I bring to you
yellow like the fever consuming me
like the liquor bewitching words
like the poison dripping from your bosom
yellow is not the rose I bring to you
the roses sigh in the air they breathe
petal by petal they show their color
but the flower that grows alone in the bramble
red is not love
white is not pain
the flower is the only gift I bring to you
rose like a trivial novel
like the surrender that surfaces on the face
like the weighty anticipation on the lips
rose is not the rose I bring to you
like the purple that ignites the morning
like the blade that warms your pillow
like the thorn that nears the heart
red so is the rose I bring to you
crystal tears have bathed it
tears and wine poured on the path
drop by drop, lost in the rain
drop by drop they dried its heart
then bring me, bring me the most beautiful flower
the one that lasts longer than love itself
the flower that alone does not mirror the bramble
perfect from the pain
perfect from its heart
perfect from the gift it makes of itself
