Ligurian:
# Rosita Del Buono (1906–1997)

A savoneise Rosita Del Buono, uña delle pöche dònne che se son dedicæ a-a poexia in ligure, a n’à porzuo unna lirica sccetta, tesciua de imagine originäie e delicæ, ben ben de vòtte inspiâ à un streito dialogo co-e persoñe cae de za scentæ. Vixoin e tematiche son de spesso vexiñe à quelle do Firpo, con l’attençion a-o mondo da natua e a-i patimenti de tutti i ëse che vive. Ma caratteristiche da Del Buono son çerte figue, inte un çerto senso inquetante, ò stranie, stæte straviste inti carroggi de Saña, ò stati d’animo perçepii inte l’äia da campagna, tòsto portæ da-a brixa inti cangiamenti de saxon, fòscia di messaggi de speransa ò di arregòrdi che ne ven da un atro mondo. O Fiorenzo Toso o l’à scrito che «a Del Buono a se mescia inte un universo scimbòlico, popolou da sorvevivense, regòrdi e presense diafane, inte un atmosfea indeterminâ che gh’é cao e saxoin intermedie e oe creposcolare e donde a çertessa rasserenante a l’é representâ da-i affetti e da-a fòrsa purificatrixe da poexia» [1]. Da parte sò, o Angelo Barile o l’à dito: «I regòrdi e e nostargie se desmainan inte unna neuva doçessa comme a lagrima da vitta quande a passa inta luxe da memöia… Poexia sccettamente femminiña, de fresche luxe e de affetti umen, corteixi. Comme no ëse contenti ch’a ne vëgne incontra into nòstro parlâ de moæ?…» [2].

[^2]: A. Barile, prefaçion à Rosita Del Buono Boero – _O massetto fresco_, 3a ediçion (Sabatelli, 1982) [trad. L. Guason ].

De soventi, inta poexia da Del Buono, comparisce di personaggi un pittin inquetanti, scimboli, trasse e straccoi de unna realitæ despægia da quella rasseguante de tutti i giorni, da donde euggezzan tòsto comme un arregòrdo. A raxon da seu presensa a no vëgne ascciæia, ma l’interpretaçion a l’é lasciâ a-o lettô. Into caxo de sta «dònna» e de sta «figgetta ch’a balla» se porrieiva trattâ de alluxoin a-a condiçion femminiña, ò se donca a-a condiçion ciù in areo de unn’umanitæ pövea, perdua (ò sarvâ?) da-e seu mæxime inluxoin.

Frevâ o l’é un meise ch’o no se peu antevedde comm’o saià: stondäio, tenio e sarvægo into mæximo tempo, che fiña un antigo proverbio zeneise o l’assòçia à l’enimmatica essensa originäia da dònna e a-a variabilitæ de desteise mæñe: «Mouxo de mâ, sô de frevâ, cianze de dònna: no te n’affiâ».

English translation:
# Rosita Del Buono (1906–1997)

Savona-born Rosita Del Buono, one of the few women to have dedicated herself to poetry in Ligurian, offered us straightforward lyricism, interwoven with original and delicate images, often inspired by a close dialogue with deceased loved ones. Her visions and themes are often close to those of Firpo, with his focus on the world of nature and the suffering of all living beings. But characteristic of Del Buono are certain figures, somewhat disturbing, or strange, glimpsed in the alleys of Savona, or moods perceived in the air of the countryside, almost carried by the breeze in the changing seasons, perhaps messages of hope or warnings that come to us from another world. Fiorenzo Toso wrote that “Del Buono moves in a symbolic universe, peopled by survivals, memories and diaphanous presences, in an indefinite atmosphere that favours the intermediate seasons and twilight hours and where soothing certainty is represented by the affections and purifying force of poetry.” [1] For his part, Angelo Barile said: “Memories and regrets melt into a new sweetness like the tear of life when it passes into the light of memory… A distinctly feminine poetry of fresh light and human, gentle affections. How can we not be happy that it comes to us in our mothers’ tongue?” [2].

[2] A. Barile, preface to Rosita Del Buono Boero – _O massetto fresco_, 3rd edition (Sabatelli, 1982).

Often in Del Buono’s poetry, somewhat disturbing characters appear – symbols, traces and relics of a reality different from the reassuring one of everyday life, from which they peep out almost as a warning. The reason for their presence is not explained, but the interpretation is left to the reader. In the case of this “woman” and this “dancing girl”, they could be allusions to the female condition, or to the more general condition of a destitute humanity, lost (or perhaps saved?) by its own illusions.

February is an unpredictable month; grumpy, tender and wild at the same time, even an old Genoese proverb associates it with the enigmatic original essence of women and the variability of the sea expanses: “Waves of the sea, February sun, women’s cries: watch out”.