ConseggioLigure/zenamt huggingface dataset:
Ligurian:
# Alfredo Gismondi (1874–1965)

De profescion mego pediatra, o l’é stæto studioso do zeneise, da seu ortografia e prononçia e o l’à compilou un _Diçionäio zeneise-italian_ (S.E.I. 1955). O l’à pubricou e seguente accheuggeite de poexia: _Da-o mæ barcon_ (Zena, 1942), _Arvî e giöxie_ (Zena, 1954) e _In faccia a-o nòstro mâ_ (Zena, 1955). Scrittô compostamente descrittivo, o Gismondi o sa rende ben o paisaggio da còsta e de l’entrotæra, ch’o vëgne à ëse l’occaxon pe de reflescioin tranquille, espresse con gaibo. O l’à scrito ascì un erudio _Prospetto della flora ligustica_, e a seu conosciensa da botanica a ven feua da-e seu poexie, inte l’attençion ch’o mette inta nomenclatua de erbe e de ciante ligure. O l’à ascì traduto in zeneise o primmo libbro de _Epistole_ de Oraçio, con un metodo semeggeive à quello di traduttoî setteçenteschi da _Gerusalemme deliverâ_.

A coltua botanica do Gismondi a ven feua inte unna serie de breve liriche dedicæ a-i costi, a-e ciante e a-e scioe de l’entrotæra ligure, delongo inte di versci de donde straluxe ascì a fiña formaçion clascica de l’autô.

English translation:
# Alfredo Gismondi (1874–1965)

He was a pediatrician, a scholar of Genoese, its spelling and pronunciation. He compiled a _Genoese-Italian dictionary_, (S.E.I. 1955). He published the following collections of poetry: _Da-o mæ barcon_ (Genoa, 1942), _Arvî e giöxie_ (Genoa, 1954) and _In faccia a-o nòstro mâ_ (Genoa, 1955). A composedly descriptive writer, Gismondi can effectively render the landscape of the coast and hinterland, which becomes an occasion for quiet reflections, gracefully expressed. He also wrote an erudite _Prospetto della flora ligustica_, and his knowledge of botany stands out from his poems in the care he employs in the nomenclature of Ligurian herbs and plants. He also translated into Genoese the first book of Horace’s _Epistles_, using an approach similar to that of the eighteenth-century translators of _Jerusalem Delivered_.

Gismondi’s botanical knowledge emerges in a series of short lyrics dedicated to the shrubs, plants and flowers of the Ligurian hinterland, again in verse from which the author’s fine classical education shines through.
Ligurian:
# Ambreuxo Conti (sec. XVIII)

L’abbou Conti o l’é un di autoî minoî do Setteçento; amigo do De Franchi, con o quæ o se scangia de lettie, che contëgnan conseggi e de vòtte discuscioin in versci, o l’à conlaborou a-a traduçion da _Gerusalemme Deliverâ_, tanto che – da pe lê – o resulta ciù che atro un poeta d’occaxon. Inte sta lettia in versci indirissâ a-o De Franchi, o se sfeuga con allamentâse da seu condiçion de preçettô, ma in prattica de servitô, inte unna famiggia patriçia chi gh’assegua un pan, ma in cangio de un muggio de incombense che no ghe tocchieivan; da sta seu scituaçion o piggia l’attesto pe de riflescioin in sciâ vitta de l’òmmo da-a nascion fin a-a veggiaia.

English translation:
# Ambrogio Conti (18th cent.)

Abbot Conti is one of the minor authors of the 18th century. He was friends with De Franchi, with whom he exchanged letters, containing advice and sometimes discussions in verse. He collaborated on the translation of _Jerusalem Delivered_, while, on his own, he was more of an occasional poet. In this letter in verse addressed to De Franchi, he lets off steam by complaining about his role as a tutor in a patrician family that provides him with food in exchange for a great deal of extra duties that relegate him to undue servitude. From this situation, Conti draws the pretex for some reflections on the life of man from birth to old age.
Ligurian:
# Andria Capan (1953)

Insegnante de franseise inte scheue supeioe, o l’à pubricou varie scilloge de poexia, tra e quæ mensunemmo _A sgavaudura e u dagliu_ (1986) e _Teragnae_ (1987). Poeta de l’inutilitæ de l’existe, o Capan o no læxina dui attacchi a-o scistemma de vitta de ancheu, fäso e consummistico. Lontan da-o felibriximo de _A barma grande_, o ventimiglioso do Capan o l’é sorvetutto esprescion da solitæ existençiale de l’autô.

English translation:
# Andrea Capano (1953)

A high school French teacher, he has published several collections of poems, including _A sgavàudura e u dagliu_ (1986) and _Teragnae_ (1987). He is a poet of the futility of existence and does not spare harsh attacks on today’s false and consumerist society. Far from the felibrism of _A barma grande_, Capano’s Ventimigliese is primarily an expression of the author’s existential loneliness.
Ligurian:
# Andria De Franchi Burgao (1359–1446)

Primmo poeta in ligure do quæ se conosce o nomme e a biografia con unna çerta seguessa, o Andria Burgao o l’ea un personaggio importante inta vitta politica e çivile zeneise; ançian do Commun do 1390, ambasciou da-o re de Fransa do 1399, dapeu à Romma do 1412, tra i primmi protettoî de l’Uspiâ de Pammaton e conseggê do Banco de San Zòrzo. Do 1425 o l’ea stæto à Saña pe scheuve da-o vesco locale çerte dexime in arretrou e, à compimento da seu miscion, o scrive in versci à l’arçivesco sò amigo Pileo de Marin, pe fâgheo savei in mainea schersosa. Segondo o F. Toso, a poexia a l’é degna de nòtta pe-o seu carattere de continuitæ co-a produçion de l’Anònimo zeneise, che de spesso o scriveiva lettie in versci a-i amixi in sce un ton umoristico, fiña da-o metro adeuttou, i euttonäi à rimma incroxâ e, in ciù, pe l’andamento cronachistico e de vòtte irònico da compoxiçion. O Burgao o deuvia o zeneise parlou di seu tempi, pe valorizzâne l’esprescivitæ, ch’a resata comme tutto into registro còmico-realistico. Sta continuitæ a faieiva pensâ che o Andria Burgao, visciuo inte un secolo che se usa definî «sensa poexia», o l’agge scrito atri testi, che fin oua no son vegnui a-a luxe e d’atra parte l’é probabile che unna produçion parallella de poexie in zeneise, euvia de di atri autoî, a segge existia, ma a no segge arrivâ fin à niatri.

English translation:
# Andrea De Franchi Bulgaro (1359–1446)

Andrea Bulgaro is the first poet in Ligurian whose name and biography are known with any degree of certainty, and was an important figure in Genoese political and civic life. He was an Elder of the Commune in 1390, an ambassador to the king of France in 1399, then to Rome in 1412, among the first protectors of the Hospital of Pammatone and an advisor to the Banco di San Giorgio. In 1425 he was in Savona to collect certain back tithes from the local bishop and, having accomplished his mission, wrote in verse to his friend Archbishop Pileo de Marini to jokingly inform him of this fact. According to F. Toso, the poem is notable for its character of continuity with the production of the Genoese Anonym, who often wrote letters in verse to friends in a humorous tone, due to the meter adopted, the cross-rhymed octosyllables, and, moreover, for the chronicle-like and sometimes ironic trend of the composition. Bulgaro uses the spoken Genoese of his times, to enhance its expressiveness, which stands out the most in the comic-realistic register. This continuity would suggest that Andrea Bulgaro, who lived in a century that is usually described as “without poetry”, wrote other texts, which still have not come to light, and moreover it is likely that a contemporary production of poems in Genoese, by other authors, existed but has not come down to us.
Ligurian:
# Angeo De Ferræ (1921-2013)

Portou pe-a narraçion, pe-a descriçion, o De Ferræ o l’esprimme «unna pascion çivile fondamente ligâ à de instanse interioe»[^1]. Prinçipalemente poeta soçiale e çivile, comme o Sileri ò o Giannon, comme da tradiçion zeneise, l’autô o sente o descazzimento da çittæ comme un scintomo da perdia de ògni varsciua vertadea into mondo moderno e da seu sostituçion con de realitæ artefiçiale; cösa chi ghe pâ direttamente in rappòrto co-o descazze pscicològico e morale, in ciù che econòmico, de tutti i zeneixi – e de l’autô in particolâ – che pan destinæ à recegâse in sce de lô mæximi, con avei perso i ponti de refeimanto etichi che constituivan a seu fòrsa unna vòtta.

[^1] F. Toso, _La letteratura ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, Recco, 2009.

English translation:
# Angelo De Ferrari (1921-2013)

De Ferrari was inclined to narration and description. He expressed “a civil passion deeply linked to inner instances”[^1]. The author – primarily a social and civic poet like Sileri or Giannoni – senses the city’s decadence as a symptom of the loss of any authentic value in the modern world and its replacement by artificial realities. This appears to him to be directly related to the psychological and moral, as well as economic, decay of all the Genoese – and of the author in particular – who seem destined to a withdrawal into themselves, having lost the ethical reference points that once constituted their strength.

[^1] F. Toso, _La letteratura ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, Recco, 2009.
Ligurian:
# Antònio Duasso (sec. XVIII)

Inte sto dialogo, fòscia no destinou à ëse misso in scena e stæto attribuio a-o Antònio Duasso, doî fræ, i patriçi Aleamme e Benardo Pravexin, che son stæti accaxonæ de varri reati dòppo da cheita da Repubrica aristocratica, se retreuvan inta salla do Conseggetto da inverno, stæta scangiâ in prexon pe-i aristocratichi. O Bernardo o no l’à desmisso afæto e mainee prepotente de quande o l’ea a-o Goerno e o pretendieiva d’ëse obbedio comme unna vòtta, tanto che o Aleamme, za Duxe da Repubrica, ch’o vëgne presentou comme un succubo do Benardo, o no l’arriësce à fâghe accapî che i tempi son scangiæ.

English translation:
# Antonio Durazzo (18th cent.)

In this dialogue, perhaps not intended to be staged and attributed to Antonio Durazzo, two brothers, the patricians Alerame and Bernardo Pallavicini, accused of various offenses after the fall of the oligarchic Republic, find themselves in the hall of the Minor Council, transformed into a prison for the aristocrats. Bernardo has not abandoned the overbearing ways of when he was in government and demands to be obeyed as he once was, while Alerame, former doge of the Republic, presented as a succubus of Bernardo, fails to make him understand that times have changed.
Ligurian:
# Augusto Tessada (sec. XX)

Do Augusto Tessada no s’à guæi notiçie, feua che, comm’o dixe lê mæximo, o l’ea un impiegou do Muniçipio. De spesso, i seu versci son d’occaxon e o seu interesse o l’é attiou ciù che atro da fæti de crònaca e de costumme, da l’attualitæ; inte sto senso, o seu Cappon Magro do 1909 o l’é indicativo de unna mainea de pensâ, de unn’epoca à cavallo tra l’Eutto e o Neuveçento, ch’a vedde a spariçion de tante usanse e mentalitæ, l’interesse ma ascì l’inchietudine pe-a sciensa moderna e pe-i tempi che vegniâ, a deprecaçion pe-e exageaçioin da mòdda, l’appaiçion de primme automòbile. L’astræto moraliximo do bravo borgheise o doveiva lasciâ o pòsto da lì quarche anno à l’exartaçion incondiçionâ de l’etæ da tecnica e da machina, quande l’é stæto ciæo i avvantaggi econòmichi che ne saieiva derivou.

L’é da osservâ comme inta seu requixitöia contra a machina, o Tessada o ne vedde sôo che l’utilizzo à scòpo de evaxon, pe imbriægâse de veloçitæ, asquæxi comme unna missa à giorno do clascico «carpe diem», e unna çelebraçion da nullitæ da vitta; e argomentaçioin ch’o deuvia son e mæxime ch’o porrieiva usâ contra a dependensa da alcol ò da-a dròga.

A carregatua do sportman ch’o fa o Tessada a fa vegnî in cheu çerte maccette de l’epoca, che ancon se peuan vedde inte di vegi cini mutti, con l’òmmo forselluo co-i mostasci reddeni, e con un çerto presentimento do Gastone petrolinian «molto ricercato», evidentemente un leugo tòpico.

English translation:
# Augusto Tessada (20th cent.)

Not much is known about Augusto Tessada, apart from the fact that, as he dixe himself, he was an employee of City Hall. Often, his verses are of occasion, and his interest is drawn mainly by facts of news and custom, by current events. In this sense, his Cappon Magro of 1909 is indicative of a way of thinking, of an era at the turn of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, which saw the disappearance of so many customs and mentalities, the interest in but also the disquiet about modern science and the times to come, the reproach of the excesses of fashion, the appearance of the first automobiles. The abstract moralism of the good bourgeois was to give way within a few years to the unconditional exaltation of the age of technology and the machine, when the economic advantages that would follow were clear.

Note how, in his indictment against the automobile, Tessada sees its use only for the purpose of escapism, to get high on speed, almost as a modern take on the classic “carpe diem”, and a celebration of the nullity of life. The arguments he uses are the same as those he might use against alcohol or drug addiction.

Tessada’s caricature of the sportsman brings to mind certain characters of his era, which we still see in old silent films – the strongman with a stiff mustache – and a certain foreshadowing of the “much sought after” Gastone by Petrolini, evidently a topical feature.
Ligurian:
# Beneito Schenon (sec. XVI)

De lê se sa pöco e ninte, levou ch’o l’ea òrbo e o l’à cantou un amô spiituale, destaccou à reo da ògni espeiensa terreña. Pe-o Beneito Schenon, l’espeiensa amosa a l’é mistica e religiosa, ò a-a dreitua esoterica; in sce un ton astræto e alluxivo, l’autô o ne parla de l’amô platònico pe unna dònna angelicâ, chi ghia l’òmmo verso o pareiso, comme a Biatrixe de Dante, ò comme inti poeti stilnovisti; o porrieiva ëse solo che un zeugo letteräio, sciben che no se peu escludde ascì de conseguense fixiche effettive inte sta reçerca de unna realitæ sorvumaña. Fiña a çircostansa de cecitæ do poeta vëgne da pensâ ch’a segge scimbòlica e inventâ pe dâ unna maggiô esprescivitæ a-a condiçion de destacco da-i sensci che a seu poexia a suggerisce. O testo o dà l’imprescion d’ëse destinou à un ambiente nobiliare raffinatiscimo, educou a-a lettua do Petrarca e do Dante, ancon ciù de quello do Foggetta e do Çigaa; pe contrasto o Schenon o resulta ascì l’autô de doî sunetti d’intonaçion còmica, che fan da controcanto à l’erta inspiaçion spiituale e religiosa do seu maggiô componimento. Comme pe voeilo desdramatizzâ, e portâ torna o lettô co-i pê in tæra.

A-e trezze ottave d’amô vëgne apreuvo doî sunetti còmichi, donde o Schenon pâ ch’o veugge fâ vedde l’atra faccia da medaggia da seu poexia amosa, tutta de testa, con portâla in sce un registro basso.

English translation:
# Benedetto Schenone (16th cent.)

Very little is known about him, except that he was blind and sang of a totally spiritual love, detached from all earthly experience. For Benedetto Schenone, the love experience is mystical and religious, or even esoteric. In an abstract and allusive tone, the author speaks to us of Platonic love for an angelic woman, who guides man towards Paradise, like Dante’s Beatrice, or as in the Stilnovist poets. It could just be a literary game, although one cannot exclude physical consequences in this search for a superhuman reality. Even the circumstance of the poet’s blindness could be thought symbolic and invented to give greater expressiveness to the condition of detachment from the senses that his poetry suggests. The text gives the impression of being destined for a very refined aristocratic environment, educated in the reading of Petrarch and Dante, even more so than that of Foglietta and Cigala. By contrast, Schenone is also the author of two sonnets of comic intonation, which counterbalance the elevated spiritual and religious inspiration of his major poem, almost as if to play it down, and bring the reader back down to earth.

The thirteen love octaves are followed by two comic sonnets, where Schenone seems to want to show the other side of the coin of his love poetry, all cerebral, by transferring it to a low register.
Ligurian:
# Brun Micossi (1919–1989)

O l’ea nasciuo à Pontebba (UD) e o l’ea vegnuo à stâ à Zena da figgeu; l’é interessante osservâ comme – da foresto – o s’ea impadronio de l’uso do zeneise, ch’o deuviava pe scrive di sunetti metricamente exatti e da sta formula espresciva – stæta vegnua unna seu caratteristica – o no s’é mai mesciou. Coscì o l’à scrito o Toso: «un liriximo a-a Gismondi donde descriçioin natuale e boin sentimenti sobransan tutto areo, con lasciâ pöco spaçio à ògni atro desviluppo». De soventi o Micossi o toccava argomenti, che ancheu saieivan de mòdda e se dieivan «animalisti», ecològisti e ascì inspiæ a-a crònaca. O l’à pubricou _Muggetti de parolle_ (1985).

Sunetto inspiou con tutta probabilitæ à uña de fotografie de pròfughi, che scappavan da-a guæra do Vietnam ò in Cambòggia, quande son arrivæ a-i giornali in Oçidente.

Da apprexâ, comme do resto inte tutti i sunetti do Micossi, a bravua retòrica e o crescendo da rappresentaçion, che van in pòrto in desccegâ con abilitæ unna fia de imagine persuaxive.

English translation:
# Bruno Micossi (1919–1989)

He was born in Pontebba (Udine) and was brought to Genoa as a child. Interestingly, as an outsider, he mastered the use of Genoese, which he used to write metrically exact sonnets, and from this expressive formula – which became a characteristic of his – he never strayed. Thus wrote Toso: “a Gismondi -like lyricism, where natural descriptions and good feelings prevail, leaving little room for any further development”. Often Micossi touched on topics, which today would be fashionable and would be called “animal welfare”, environmentalism and also inspired by the news. He published _Muggetti de parolle_ (1985).

This sonnet probably inspired by one of the photographs of refugees, fleeing the Vietnam War or Cambodia, when they reached newspapers in the West.

Commendable, as indeed in all of Micossi’s sonnets, are the rhetorical prowess and the climax of the performance, which reach the conclusion deftly, unfolding a series of persuasive images.
Ligurian:
# Canto Unico (sec. XVIII)

O Canto Unico o l’é unna cheuggeita de poexie de autoî setteçenteschi pe-o ciù desconosciui, e o se treuva inte un manoscrito conservou inta Biblioteca da Soçietæ Econòmica de Ciavai; o contëgne unna gran varietæ de testi che van da-o còmico a-o serio, da l’erotiximo a-a satira soçiale. Sta Serenata, che proponemmo, a peu arregordâ comme tematica a poexia çinquentesca d’amô, mascime e Tersiñe de poeta inçerto de Rime Diverse, ma a forma metrica adeuttâ – muxicale ben – a â rende adattâ a-o canto.

English translation:
# Canto Unico (18th cent.)

Canto Unico is a collection of poems by largely anonymous eighteenth-century authors, and is found in a manuscript preserved in the library of the Società Economica di Chiavari. It contains a wide variety of texts ranging from the comic to the serious, from eroticism to social satire. The Serenata we present here may be reminiscent in subject matter of sixteenth-century love poetry, especially the Anonymous tercets of the Rime diverse, but the very musical metrical form that is adopted makes it particularly suitable for singing.
Ligurian:
# Carlo Andria Castagneua (1652–1748)

O Castagneua, gexuita lavagnin conosciuo ascì comme istòrico e autô de unn’euvia in sciâ cometa do 1664, into poemmetto _L’arrivo in Vuoè dell’Armâ de Franza_ o conta do bombezzo de Zena, avvegnuo do 1684, pe òpia de l’armâ franseise. Unna costion de preçedensa into saluo tra nave de doe naçioin a l’aiva fornio a-o Re Sô l’occaxon pe umiliâ a picciña e orgoggiosa repubrica zeneise, co-a quæ o l’aiva da tempo à mezo de bæghe de varie meñe. Zena a no l’à mollou, de nave spagnòlle son arrivæ in seu aggiutto, e i franseixi an dovuo fâ röso. Tutte e mainee, l’anno apreuvo, inte unna neuva scituaçion politica, o Duxe Lercæ o l’à dovuo anâ à Versaggia pe rende omaggio a-o Re e ciammâghe scuse. D’atra parte, stæto reçevuo con tutti i önoî, da mezo a-i lusci da reggia, gh’an dimandou cöse l’ea che, inte quello palaçio sfersoso, l’æisse mäveggiou de ciù. Lê o l’à repricou con unn’esprescion che dapeu a l’é passâ tòsto in proverbio: «Mi chì». In fæto, i Duxi, pe tutto o tempo do seu incarrego, no sciortivan mai d’in Paxo, e fiña pe anâ à Messa a-a domenega passavan de pe un corrieu sorvelevou, tanto da no toccâ tæra co-i pê, e sottoliniâ coscì a sacralitæ da seu persoña.

O poemma o conta i avvegnimenti do 1684, con mescciâli a-a stöia d’amô do mego Orlando, testemònio di fæti, e mego personâ da Duxessa.

English translation:
# Carlo Andrea Castagnola (1652–1748)

Castagnola was a Jesuit from Lavagna, also known as a historian and author of a piece on the comet of 1664. In his poem _L’arrivo in Vuoè dell’Armà de Franza_ he recalls the bombardment of Genoa by the French fleet in 1684. A question of precedence in the greeting between ships of the two nations had offered the Sun King the right to humiliate the small and proud Genoese republic, with which disagreements and disputes had long arisen. Genoa did not yield, Spanish ships came to its rescue, and the French had to leave. However, the following year, in a changed political situation, Doge Lercari had to go to Versailles to pay his respects to the King and apologise to him. Received with all honours, amidst the splendour of the palace, he was asked what, in that opulent palace, had most amazed him. He replied with an expression that later became almost a proverb: “Mi chì”. The Doges, in fact, never set foot outside the palace during their entire tenure, and even to go to Mass on Sundays they passed through an elevated corridor that led to S. Lorenzo, so as not to touch the ground with their feet, thus emphasising the sacredness of their person.

The poem narrates the events of 1684, along with the love affair of Dr Orlando, a witness to the events and personal physician to the Doge’s wife.
Ligurian:
# Carlo Costa (1919–2000)

Tra tutti quelli che inte quarche mainea s’en dæti da fâ pe-a conservaçion de l’idiòma ligure, no se peu ascordâ o ciavæn Carlo Còsta; professô de lettie e istöia da-i tanti interesci, o l’à fondou inta seu çittæ numeroxi enti, assoçiaçioin, çircoli, fra i quæ no urtima a soçietæ «O Castello», pe-a sarvaguardia de tradiçioin locale. Poeta de stampo intimista, ben ben influensou da-a lettiatua clascica, o l’à pubricou _A stradda_ (1982), _Canson antiga_ (1989), _Comme l’öchin_ (1994). Interessante e seu traduçioin in ligure da ben ben de clascichi latin, comme Catullo, Tibullo, Oraçio, stæte portæ à termine con segua conosciensa da matëia.

English translation:
# Carlo Costa (1919–2000)

Among those who in some way worked for the preservation of the Ligurian language, one cannot forget the name of Carlo Costa from Chiavari. He was a professor of literature and history with many interests, who founded in his city numerous organizations, associations, and societies, not the least of which was the O Castello society for the preservation of local traditions. He was an intimist poet, deeply influenced by classical literature, and he published _A stradda_ (1982), _Canson antiga_ (1989), _Comme l’öchin_ (1994). His translations into Ligurian from several Latin classics – such as Catullus, Tibullus, Horace – are of great interest, and were conducted with definite mastery of the subject.
Ligurian:
# Carlo Domingo Adamoli (sec. XX)

No semmo tòsto ninte de sto poeta chì, ch’o l’à pubricou do 1944 a cheuggeita de poexie _Reuse d’autunno_, into clima doso e carrego d’anscëtæ da guæra, o Adamoli o desgheugge unna veña poetica scoa de pascoliximo, de un fondo senso da natua e regòrdi do tempo passou. L’autô o se inseisce areo inte unna linia crepuscolare che in zeneise e in ligure a conta un muggio de autoî che ghe va apreuvo, compreiso o Firpo. De soventi, o Adamoli o cazze inte un sentimentaliximo tròppo marcou; à tutte e mainee despiaxe ch’o n’agge lasciou di atri scriti, apreuvo che a seu veña a l’avieiva posciuo anâ verso di atri desviluppi. O tempo luvego da guæra, a sensaçion da vexiña fin de un mondo, influiscian sens’atro in sce ste poexie, con infondighe un sentô de desfæta e descheita; tante de ste poexie ean stæte scrite inta previxion de vegnî muxicæ, e de de chi o ne sciòrte un ritmo lesto e cadensou, de soventi pariscillabo.

L’interesse pe-i drammi e e sofferense sensa recatto de gente semprixe o l’avvexiña o Adamoli a-o Firpo, sciben inta differensa di exiti estetichi, apreuvo che o Adamoli – con tutto che o seu sentimento o l’é sccetto – o s’afferma, pe commun, a-a sola enonçiaçion do mâ de vive.

L’interesse pe-o mondo da natua, de bestiete, de erbe e de scioî, i quæ patimenti respegian o mâ de vive di òmmi, con stramuâ inte lô i nòstri sentimenti e speranse, o l’é un atro elemento ch’o l’unisce o Adamoli a-o Firpo, e o constituisce unna sò commun fonte d’inspiaçion.

English translation:
# Carlo Domingo Adamoli (20th cent.)

Little is known about this author, who published in 1944 the collection of poems _Reuse d’autunno_. In the painful and anxiety-laden climate of the war, Adamoli developed a poetic vein steeped in pastoralism, a deep sense of nature and memories of time gone by. The author fits perfectly into a crepuscular line that in Genoese and Ligurian counts several followers, including Firpo himself. He often falls into too much sentimentality; however, it is regrettable that he did not leave us more texts, as his vein could have gone on to further development. The gloomy climate of the war, the feeling of the imminent end of a world, undoubtedly affect these poems, infusing them with a whiff of decay and decay; many were written in anticipation of being set to music, hence the predilection for rapid, cadenced verse, frequently parisyllabic.

The interest in the misadventures and hopeless sufferings of simple people unites Adamoli with Firpo, albeit with different of aesthetic outcomes, since Adamoli – even in the sincerity of feeling – usually stops at a simple enunciation of existential pain.

An interest in the world of nature, of small animals, herbs and flowers, whose afflictions reflect the ills of human life, transferring into them our own feelings and hopes, is another element that unites Adamoli and Firpo, and constitutes their common source of inspiration.
Ligurian:
# Cesare Vivado (1925–1999)

Nasciuo à Imperia, do 1933 o l’è stramuou à Romma, dond’o l’à compio i studdi; cronista e nottista politico de Milano Sera, cappo de l’offiçio roman de L’Ora de Palermo, redattô de Italia Domani e de Tempo Presente, critico d’arte de l’Avanti!, insegnante de Istöia de l’Arte inte Academie de Belle Arte, alò de Napoli e dapeu de Romma, o l’é poeta conosciuo in Italia e à l’estrangeo. O Vivado o l’é arrivou a-o deuvio da parlâ locale inta reçerca de un mezzo esprescivo ch’o foïse desligou da ògni suggestion letteräia, inte l’ambito do clima neorealista ch’o caratterizzava i anni do seu exòrdio poetico. L’idiòma elaboou da-o Vivado, o scrive o F. Toso [^1], «o no respegia a parlâ portoriña, feua che inti aspeti ciù vistoxi da fonetica» e donca, «pròpio perché no localizzabile con preçixon, a responde à de exigense de speimentaçion e à un zeugo letteräio de finiscimo ordio».

[^1]: F. Toso, _La letteratura ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, Recco, 2009.

English translation:
# Cesare Vivaldi (1925–1999)

He was born in Imperia, and moved in 1933 to Rome, where he completed his studies. He was a reporter and political journalist for Milano Sera, head of the Rome bureau of Ora in Palermo, editor of Italia Domani and Tempo Presente, art critic of Avanti!, lecturer in art history at the Academies of Fine Arts first in Naples and then in Rome, and a well-known poet in Italy and abroad. Vivaldi arrived at the use of the local idiom in the search for a means of expression that was free from all literary suggestions, within the neorealist climate that characterized the years of his poetic debut. The language that Vivaldi developed, F. Toso writes [^1], “does not reflect the tongue of Porto Maurizio, except in the most conspicuous aspects of phonetics”, and therefore, “precisely because it is not precisely localizable, it responds to the needs of experimentation and to a literary game of the finest texture”.

[^1]: F. Toso, _La letteratura ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, Recco, 2009.
Ligurian:
# Colombo Gajon (1878–1973)

Originäia figua de antiquäio e poeta popolare, o Colombo Gajon, attivo fin da-i anni ’20, o l’à affiou a seu produçion à feuggi despersci e libbretti, fin a-a pubricaçion – do 1963 – de _Antologia Ovadese_. Recreatô de generi tradiçionali comme a ballata e o strunello, o dà o megio de lê inte l’evocâ o paisaggio e l’ambiente natuale de l’Otrazovo.

English translation:
# Colombo Gajone (1878–1973)

Colombo Gajone was a highly unique antiquarian and folk poet, already active in the 1920s, who entrusted his production to flyers and pamphlets, until the publication in 1963 of _Antologia Ovadese_. A recreator of traditional genres such as the ballad and the stornello, he gives his best in evoking the landscape and natural environment of the Oltregiogo region.
Ligurian:
# Confortatöio da Compagnia da Miseicòrdia (1491)

O confortatöio o l’é unna smersa de manuale pe-i fræ laichi da Compagnia da Miseicòrdia, che compagnavan i condannæ à mòrte e o contëgne a trassa de priche da fâ a-i prexonê pe convinçili à confessâse ò inandiâli à unna fin seña; o fræ o poeiva inricchî a trassa à segonda da scituaçion e da disponibilitæ do condannou. A lengua a l’é tra e ciù toscanizzante, tipica de quello periodo. Ste priche ne vëgnan da de tradiçioin despæge, pe-o ciù foreste, e an contunniou giando o mondo, tanto che se peuan attrovâ spantegæ da tutte e bande. Da osservâ, comme coixitæ, che o racconto de l’estaxi do fratte into sentî a canson de l’öxellin mandou da-o Segnô, o constituisce a base pe unna avvoxâ poexia milaneise do Carlo Porta, Fraa Diodatt, ch’o l’aiva attrovâ inte un libbro de exempi morali, Il prato fiorito do Giuseppe Ballardini, stæto stampou à Còmmo do 1615. O Porta o gh’aiva attrovou l’attesto pe uña de seu narraçioin iròniche contra i prævi e i fratti.

English translation:
# Confortatory of the Company of Mercy (1491)

The confortatory is a kind of manual for the lay brethren of the Company of Mercy, who accompanied those condemned to execution, and contains the outline of sermons to be given to prisoners to persuade them to confess and prepare for a peaceful end. The brethren could embellish the outline depending on the situation and the willingness of the condemned man. The language is some of the most Tuscan-like, as was typical of that period. These sermons come from different traditions, mostly foreign, and have continued to travel the world, so that they can be found scattered all over. Note, as a curiosity, that the tale of the friar’s ecstasy at hearing the song of the bird sent by God forms the basis of a famous Milanese poem by Carlo Porta, Fraa Diodatt, who had found it in the book of moral examples Il prato fiorito by Giuseppe Ballardini, printed in Como in 1615. Porta had taken it as a pretext for one of his ironic and anticlerical narratives.
Ligurian:
# Danê Domenego Caviggia (1956)

Inzegnê elettrònico, o l’insegna inta Scheua Politecnica de l’Universcitæ de Zena; autô ò coautô de ben ben de articoli scientifichi in sce de reviste ò rendiconti de congresci internaçionali, o Caviggia o l’à dæto esprescion a-a dimenscion ciù sccettamente artistica da seu personalitæ inte unna poexia à sfondo religioso, ch’a vëgne à ëse un canto d’amô verso l’umanitæ, consapeive do dô ch’o l’aggueita delongo inte ceighe de l’existensa. Imagine e scimilitudine neuve e de unna bellessa tòsto geometrica e crestalliña caratterizzan i seu versci. Comm’o l’à scrito o F. Toso, inta poexia do Caviggia emmo «a rappresentaçion de stati d’animo in relaçion à de tormentæ vexende existençiale […] inte un cansonê scingolarmente sospeiso tra a freidessa asquæxi metallica de un verso intellettualistico, lustro, e a sccetta anscetæ de transmette emoscioin cattuæ à l’inspiaçion inte un momento de feliçitæ creativa»[^1]. O paisaggio in Caviggia o l’é à ïsa à ïsa indicou e o seu universo o l’é scimbòlico, fæto de figue astræte, che tutti i mòddi tramandan à di scignificati concreti, inte unn’ascidua reçerca do senso da vitta. E frequente alluxoin à l’amô uman pan chì coscì reciammâ un neuvo stilnoviximo, donde a lirica amosa a l’alludde a-a queste de unna realitæ ôtraterreña.

O l’à pubricou _E ae di angei_ (Zena, 1996) e _A-o de là do mâ_ (Zena, 2017).

[^1]: F. Toso, _La letteratura ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, Recco, 2009.

English translation:
# Daniele Domenico Caviglia (1956)

Caviglia is an electronic engineer, a lecturer at the Polytechnic School of the University of Genoa, author or co-author of numerous scientific articles in journals or accounts of international congresses. He has given expression to the more properly artistic and humanistic side of his personality through a poetry with a religious background that becomes a love song to humanity, in awareness of the evil always lurking in the folds of existence. Novel images and similes of almost geometric and crystalline beauty characterize his verses. As F. Toso writes, in Caviglia’s poetry we have “the representation of states of mind referring to tormented existential events … in a songbook singularly suspended between the almost metallic coldness of an intellectualistic, polished verse and the sincere anxiety to convey emotions captured to inspiration in a moment of creative happiness”[^1]. Landscape in Caviglia is barely hinted at, and his universe is symbolic, made up of abstract figures that nevertheless refer to concrete meanings in an assiduous search for the meaning of life. The frequent allusions to human love seem here to recall a new Stilnovism, where the love lyric adumbrates these of an otherworldly reality.

He published _E ae di angei_ (Genoa, 1996) and _A-o de là do mâ_ (Genoa, 2017).

[^1]: F. Toso, _La letteratura ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, Recco, 2009.
Ligurian:
# Descorsci pubrichi do secolo XV

Do Quattroçento se spanze da maniman de ciù i uxi offiçiæ, ò semioffiçiæ, do vorgâ zeneise che induan sciña a-o secolo XVIII; e prepoxiçioin, comme quelle che portemmo à exempio, vegnivan appresentæ a-o Conseggio di Ançien da un Cançellê, che de belle vòtte o dava preuva de unna bravua oratöia e de unn’elegansa formale, tanto da confeî à sti appelli, indirissæ a-o patriottiximo e a-o senso çivico, un çerto interesse letteräio. O zeneise ch’o vëgne adeuviou, se se tëgne conto da grafia in parte toscanizzâ, ch’a mascara a vea prononçia de l’oratô, o pâ ciufito sccetto e viaxo: conseiar o se leze «cunsegiar»; ge o se leze «ghe»; jorni, «giurni»; pù, «ciü».

English translation:
# Public speeches of the 15th century

In the 15th century, official, or semi-official, uses of the Genoese vernacular became increasingly widespread, which would last until the 18th century. Propositions, such as those we give as examples, were presented to the Council of Elders by a Chancellor, who many times displayed such oratory skill and formal elegance that these appeals, addressed to patriotism and civic sense, were of some literary interest. The Genoese used, if one takes into account the partly Tuscanized spelling, which masks the speaker’s true pronunciation, seems quite straightforward and pure: conseiar is pronounced “cunsegiar”; ge is pronounced “ghe”; jorni, as “giurni”; pù, as “ciü”.
Ligurian:
# Dionisio Böno (1934)

Sotta diverse metafore, e de vòtte sotta o vello de l’imaginaçion onirica, atre vòtte con l’attesto de l’osservaçion da realitæ çittadiña ò paisaña, o ventemiglioso Dionisio Bòno o ne parla da vitta e di seu mastrusci pe ascondine a veitæ in sciô nòstro destin e in sciô nòstro cammin pin de sapelli. De lê o l’à scrito Federico Mario Boeri: «Quella do Bòno a l’é unna poexia ch’a sa fâ gustâ e sence giòie da famiggia, do contatto vertadeo co-a natua; ch’a pesca inti regòrdi de unna zoentù ömai lonxi, stæta visciua tramezo à persoñe e cöse che no ghe son ciù, ma che lê o ne sa retrovâ o profummo inti versci un pittin descancasciæ de unna vegia fiastròcca». O l’à pubricou _In sciau_ (2008).

English translation:
# Dionisio Bono (1934)

Under various metaphors, and sometimes under the veil of dreamlike imagination, at other times under the pretext of observing town or country reality, Ventimiglia’s Dionisio Bono speaks to us about life and its deceptions in order to hide from us the truth about our destiny and our path full of obstacles. Federico Mario Boeri wrote of him, “Bono’s is a poetry that knows how to make us savor the simple joys of family, of authentic contact with nature; that fishes in the memories of a now distant youth, lived among people and things that are no more, but of which he knows how to find the scent in the somewhat ramshackle verses of an old nursery rhyme”. He published _In sciau_ (2008).
Ligurian:
# Emma Midolo (1886–1985)

A l’ea de Saña e, tanto che ben ben de seu poexie «rivelan unn’attardâ inspiaçion de gusto pascolian», a l’arriva à di exiti ciù feliçi inte poexie dedicæ à unna vegiaia «visciua con straordenäia serenitæ» (F. Toso) e ascì quande a tenta un recovio di toin popolarezzanti da fiastròcca pe-i figgeu. Autoa prolifica, a l’à pubricou _Gente in gio_ (1971), _’Na rionda de figgeu_ (1972), _Cöse scordæ_ (1973), _Canta ’na moæ_ (1974), _Dal cuore alla penna_ (1975), _A l’arba de ’n’atra primmaveia_ (1976), _A casa into bòsco_ (1979), _Scarpenadda ligure_ (1979), _Acquerelli_ (1984).

English translation:
# Emma Midolo (1886–1985)

She was from Savona and, while many of her poems “reveal a lingering inspiration of Pascolian taste”, she achieves more successful results in the texts dedicated to an old age “lived with extraordinary serenity” (F. Toso) and also when she attempts a revival of the popular tones of the children’s nursery rhymes. A prolific author, she published _Gente in gio_ (1971), _’Na rionda de figgeu_ (1972), _Cöse scordæ_ (1973), _Canta ’na moæ_ (1974), _Dal cuore alla penna_ (1975), _A l’arba de ’n’atra primmaveia_ (1976), _A casa into bòsco_ (1979), _Scarpenadda ligure_ (1979), _Acquerelli_ (1984).
Ligurian:
# Enrica Arvigo (1963)

Laureâ in Lettie Moderne inte l’Ateneo Zeneise, a Enrica Arvigo a l’é fonçionäio do Commun. Pe ben ben de anni a s’é impegnâ inte unna meritöia euvia de divurgaçion, promoçion e sarvaguardia da lengua zeneise pe mezo de corsci, conferense, lettue pubriche. A scrive da-o 1980 e a l’à ottegnuo ben ben de reconoscimenti inte di concorsci regionali e naçionali de poexia. A l’é ascì grafica de consciderevole talento. O verso menissou e tendençialemente curto, anscëtoso, de spesso rescciæou da speronsoin ôtraterren, o ne pòrta into mondo senscibile de l’autoa, à spionezzâ i minimi sobrilli da vitta e da speransa inte tutto quello che accapita. A seu fede inta perenne renascion de òmmi e cöse a l’é, à momenti, commovente e se s’ammia ben, a constituisce fòscia l’unica reprica poscibile, de fronte a-e stragedie grende e picciñe inta vitta de tutti.

Da confrontâ co-a lirica da B. Pedemonte in sciô mæximo argomento, che emmo lezzuo avanti; manco chì emmo pedantaie intellettualistiche, ma e imagine, de spesso oscue e fadigose, esprimman patimento, escluxon e solitæ, inte un contesto pe coscì ciù pescimista.

Tutte e speranse de sorvevive son inçerte, confiæ a-o regòrdo che i nòstri cäi omai scentæ an lasciou tra de niatri.

Oggetti e vexende son de soventi deuviæ pe vive e revive in mainea vicaiale e peñe e erlie personale. Coscì inta bugatta o se stramua o senso de escluxon, de separatessa de l’autoa da-o resto do mondo.

English translation:
# Enrica Arvigo (1963)

Enrica Arvigo is a graduate in Modern Literature from the University of Genoa and a public servant. For many years she has engaged in praiseworthy work to popularize, promote and safeguard the Genoese language by means of courses, lectures and public readings. She has been writing since 1980 and has won numerous awards in regional and national poetry competitions. She is also a graphic designer of considerable talent. The broken verse, which tends to be short, anxious, often illuminated by otherworldly chills, introduces us to the trepidatious world of the author, intent on spying on the slightest stirrings of life and hope in all that happens. Her faith in the perpetual rebirth of men and things is, at times, moving and, on closer inspection, constitutes perhaps the only possible response, in the face of small and great tragedies in everyone’s life.

Compare with the lyric by B. Pedemonte, on the same subject, which we read earlier. We have no intellectualistic pedantry here either, but the often dark and labored imagery expresses suffering, exclusion and loneliness, in a much more pessimistic context.

Any hope of survival is uncertain, entrusted to the memory that departed loved ones have left among us.

Objects and events are often used to vicariously experience or relive personal pains and anxieties. Thus the author’s sense of exclusion, of separateness from the rest of the world, is transferred into the doll.
Ligurian:
# Ernesto Pisan (1935–?)

A poexia do väzin Ernesto Pisan, comme tanta lirica contemporania in ligure, a l’é pe-o ciù indirizzâ à unna reçerca interiô ch’a treuva occaxon into paisaggio pe de reflescioin existençiale; l’amô, i affetti da famiggia, i repentii, l’aspiaçion à unna vitta appartâ, i regòrdi de glöie ligure do passou constituiscian a sostansa de un verso sorvetutto narrativo, con de boñe capaçtæ descrittive. O Pisan o l’à pubricou in zeneise: _’N’arbanella d’ancioe_ (1978), _E oe do sô_ (1981), _Solo mi sò… e ti_ (1992).

English translation:
# Ernesto Pisani (1935–?)

The poetry of Ernesto Pisani, from Varazze, like much contemporary lyrical poetry in Ligurian, is mostly directed toward an inner investigation that draws from the landscape for existential reflections. Love, family affections, regrets, the aspiration for a secluded life, and memories of past Ligurian glories make up the substance of a narrative foundation verse with good descriptive skills. Pisani has published in Genoese: _’N’arbanella d’ancioe_ (1978), _E oe do sô_ (1981), _Solo mi sò… e ti_ (1992).
Ligurian:
# Ettore Morteo (1874–?)

Co-e seu _Rimme Arascine_ do 1927 o l’à dæto o viavinti à unna tradiçion locale ch’a va avanti ancon oua. Inta parte ciù impegnativa da cheuggeita «prevâ di toin melancònichi espresci traverso un elegante adeguamento ambientale de temmi cäi a-a poexia tardoromantica e decadente»[^1].

[^1] F. Toso, _Letteratura genovese e ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, 2009.

English translation:
# Ettore Morteo (1874–?)

With his _Rimme Arascine_ he gave rise, in 1927, to a local tradition that continues to this day. In the most engaged part of the collection “melancholy tones prevail, expressed through an elegant environmental adaptation of themes beloved by late Romantic and decadent poetry”[^1].

[^1] F. Toso, _Letteratura genovese e ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, 2009.
Ligurian:
# Eugenio Giovando (1924-2006)

O s’é dedicou pe tutta a vitta a-o studdio e a-o recovio de tradiçioin, da stöia, de l’arte e do parlâ spezzin, con vegnî à ëse un di megio conoscitoî da coltua locale. O l’à ottegnuo diversci reconoscimenti, tra i quæ o «Memorial Sergio Sileri», bandio da l’assoçiaçion A Compagna de Zena, e sempre à Zena O «S. Fruttuoso» e o «Superba». Do 1997 o l’à guägno a medaggia d’öo a-o premmio «Valente Faustini» pe-a poexia inti dialetti italien à Piaxensa. Autô de tutte e ediçioin de O lunaio de a Speza da-a primma do 1980 scin à quella do 2007. Pe trent’anni o l’à organizzou o concorso naçionale de poexia «Bèla Spèza». Pe ben ben de anni o l’à diretto o periòdico Tuttospezia. O l’é stæto compoxitô ascì e o l’à scrito muxica sacra e cansoin, anche pe figgeu. Segondo o F. Toso, «inta poexia d’amô, o Giovando o l’é feliçe rievocatô de momenti restituii con moscitæ de imagine, de figue feminiñe e de figgeu de soventi à ïsa à ïsa abbossæ in sciô sfondo de delicæ descriçioin natuale».

English translation:
# Eugenio Giovando (1924-2006)

He dedicated his whole life to the study and revival of La Spezia’s traditions, history, art and dialect, becoming one of the leading experts on local culture. He won a number of awards, including the “Sergio Sileri Memorial”, bestowed by the association “A Compagna” of Genoa, also in Genoa the “San Fruttuoso” and the “Superba”. In 1997 he was awarded the gold medal at the “Valente Faustini” prize for poetry in Italian dialects in Piacenza. Author of all the editions of O Lünàio de a Spèza from the first, in 1980, to that of 2007. He organized the national dialect poetry contest “Bèla Spèza” for 30 years. He was for many years editor of the periodical Tuttospezia. He was a prolific composer, writing sacred music, adult and children’s songs. According to F. Toso, “in love poetry, Giovando is a happy evoker of moments rendered with rich imagery, of female and child figures often barely outlined against the background of tender natural descriptions”.
Ligurian:
# Feipo Angeo Castello (sec. XX)

No se sa guæi do Feipo Angeo Castello, che do 1930 o l’à pubricou Zena, a Liguria e o sò folclorismo; za da-o titolo se capisce che l’autô o no voeiva anâ ciù in là da çelebraçion, un pittin retòrica, de glöie, bellesse e personaggi locali. O l’ea peò conträio a-e volgaritæ e a-i sensci doggi che anavan de mòdda tra i poeti dialettali de l’epoca e i seu sunetti en tutti castigatiscimi. De semme in semme se gh’attreuva ascì di versci lirichi sostegnui e sentii à basta, che peuan ëse degni de nòtta, anche inta rievocaçion de fæti e ostaie e personaggi che ne pan lontaniscimi da niatri, con tutto che remontan manco à çent’anni fa.

English translation:
# Filippo Angelo Castello (20th cent.)

Little is known about Filippo Angelo Castello, who in 1930 published Zena, a Liguria e o sò folclorismo. Already from the title it is clear that the author did not want to go beyond a somewhat rhetorical celebration of local glories, beauties and characters. He was, however, opposed to the vulgarity and double entendres that were fashionable among dialectal poets of the time, and his sonnets are all very chaste. Occasionally there are also sustained and quite heartfelt lyrical verses to be found in his poetry, which are worthy of note, even in the evocation of facts and taverns and characters that seem very distant from us, although they date back not even a hundred years.
Ligurian:
# Feipo Rostan (1896–1973)

Ventemiglioso, o l’ea stæto tra i fondatoî da revista intemelia «A Barma Grande», portavoxe de un moderou felibriximo tollerou da-o regime fascista, perché fianchezzatô de revendicaçioin inredentiste de l’Italia de quelli tempi verso quelli territöi franseixi che unna vòtta favan parte do Stato sabaudo. Sciortia inte eutto numei tra o 1931 e o 1939, ciù atri çinque numei vegnui feua into doppoguæra tra o 1961 e o 1974, a revista a l’ospitava de fæto contributi inte parlæ ligure da zöna tra Taggia e o Prinçipato de Monego, che presentan caratteristiche arcaizzante, tanto lescicale comme scintattiche. Poeta de legia inspiaçion attardâ e crepuscolare, o Rostan o s’é refæto à modelli neoproensæ, con introdue inta modesta tradiçion locale temmi e intonaçioin, pe quelli tempi, no consueti e neuvi.

English translation:
# Filippo Rostan (1896–1973)

A native of Ventimiglia, he was amongst the founders of the Intemelio magazine “A Barma Grande”, the mouthpiece of a moderate felibrism tolerated by the Fascist regime as a supporter of Italy’s irredentist claims at the time, in relation to those French territories that had once belonged to the Savoy state. This magazine, issued in eight issues between 1931 and 1939, plus another five issues that appeared in the postwar period between 1961 and 1974, it in fact housed contributions in the Ligurian varieties of the area between Taggia and the Principality of Monaco, which display archaizing features, both lexical and syntactic. Rostan, a poet of tenuous late crepuscular inspiration, drew on neo-Provençal models, introducing themes and tones into the modest local tradition that were, at the time, unusual and new.