ConseggioLigure/zenamt huggingface dataset:
Ligurian:
# Flora Mancini (1913–1995)

De umiliscima origine, a Flora Mancini a l’é stæta pe tutta a vitta unna casænga da l’existensa arretiâ e appartâ; e uniche occaxoin de resciöo ean e villezzatue inti meixi da stæ à Oâ, dond’a l’anava co-o maio, ch’o l’ea o poeta Carlo P. Pessin. Disegnatoa de talento, ciù che tutto do viso femminin, a realizzava interessanti retræti co-o lapi. E seu poexie son accheuggeite inte A coa do Pavon (Zena, 1972), ma tante atre son arrestæ desperse. O V. E. Petrucci o sottoliniava «a modernitæ do fraseggio e a novitæ di temmi, che in sciô momento pan de marca strapaisaña, e de drito an di repiggi verticali inte emoscioin […] e inte imagine».

English translation:
# Flora Mancini (1913–1995)

Flora Mancini was a housewife of very humble origins, who led a withdrawn and secluded existence all her life. Her only occasions for recreation were summer holidays in Ovada, where she went with her husband, the poet Carlo P. Pessino. She was an accomplished illustrator – especially of the female face – and produced interesting pencil portraits. Her poems are collected in A coa do pavon (Genoa, 1972), but many others have been lost. V. E. Petrucci emphasised “the modernity of the phrasing and the inconsuetude of the themes, which at first sight seem to be of the extrapaesana brand, and immediately have vertical echoes in the emotions … and in the images”.
Ligurian:
# Françesco Maria Marin (sec. XVII)

O Françesco Maria Marin o l’ea figgio do Duxe Zane Agostin e do 1642 o fa representâ Il Fazzoletto, comedia plurilengue donde, insemme a-o zeneise do sòlito Capoâ va in scena ascì o bologneise do Dottô Graçian e o toscan ciufito improbabile parlou da di nòbili turchi. Comedia de intençioin politiche, donde se exòrta o Duxe a-o bon goerno, tanto da fâ trionfâ a raxon e a concòrdia in sciâ tirannia e l’arbitrio, a l’arresta de grammo leze pe-a giornâ d’ancheu, in caxon do lenguaggio complesso e pin de doggi sensci di seu personaggi, mascime quelli che parla zeneise, e pe accapîlo ghe vorrieiva de nòtte esplicative à ògni riga. Inte sta scena, o Capoâ e seu galante Bélloa, che ghe pâ d’avei attrovou un innamoou ciù ricco, se ticòssan e lê a çerca à lasciâlo, con accaxonâlo de apostaxia e d’avei a scifilide. Da osservâ che «mali» e «mari», son omòfoni in zeneise antigo, donca in parlâ de «imbarcâse pe-i moæ de Fransa», Belloa a l’alludde a-a poscibilitæ pe-o Capoâ d’ësise contaggiou de «mâ franseise».

English translation:
# Francesco Maria Marini (17th cent.)

Francesco Maria Marini was the son of Doge Giovanni Agostino, and in 1642 he had Il Fazzoletto performed, a multilingual comedy where, along with the Genoese of the usual Caporale, the Bolognese of Dr. Graziano and the rather improbable Tuscan spoken by some Turkish nobles are also on stage. This is a comedy of political intentions, in which the Doge is exhorted to good government, so that reason and concord triumph over tyranny and arbitrariness. It is difficult to read nowadays because of the complex language full of double entendres of its characters, especially those who speak Genoese, and explanatory notes would be needed at every line to understand it. In the following scene, the Corporal and his mistress Bellora (Weasel), who seems to have found a richer lover, poke each other and she tries to leave him, accusing him of apostasy and of having syphilis. Note that “diseases” and “seas”, are in Old Genoese homophones, so by speaking of “embarking for the seas of France” Bellora alludes to the possibility for Caporale to have infected himself with “French disease”.
Ligurian:
# Françesco Puppo (1900-1994)

O l’ea nasciuo à Rosario de Santa Fe in Argentiña, ma portou à Zena da piccin, e o l’à dapeu abitou à Ponte Organasco e inta segonda meitæ da seu vitta à San Loenso da Còsta sorve Santa Margaita. Mego de profescion, o l’é stæto ascì un delicatiscimo pittô de aquarelli, dond’o l’esprimmeiva o mæximo mondo di seu versci, inspiæ a-a poetica do «frammentiximo», tutta basâ in sce de leste inluminaçioin e descriçioin da realitæ natuâ. O l’aiva comensou à scrive poexie zeneixi za di anni ’20 e ’30 do secolo passou, ma o s’é deçiso à pubricâle solo che mezo secolo apreuvo, inti doî volummetti D’arrescoso (1976) e In sciô scheuggio (1981). Inte unna forma autònoma da Firpo, o Puppo o l’aiva «desviluppou unna seu tendensa à renovâ e forme tradiçionale da poexia zeneise» ( F. Toso ), in conservâ unna seu giffra caratteristica personale.

English translation:
# Francesco Puppo (1900-1994)

He was born in Rosario de Santa Fe in Argentina, but was brought to Genoa as a child and later lived in Ponte Organasco and – in the second half of his life – in San Lorenzo della Costa, above Santa Margherita. He was a doctor by profession, and also a delicate painter of watercolors, in which he expressed the same world as in his verses, inspired by the poetics of fragmentism, all based on rapid illuminations and descriptions of natural reality. He had begun writing Genoese poems as early as the 1920s and 1930s, but he decided to publish them only half a century later, in the two small volumes D’arrescoso (1976) and In sciô scheuggio (1981). Puppo, in a form independent of Firpo, had “developed his own tendency to renew the traditional forms of Genoese poetry” ( F. Toso ), while preserving his own personal characteristic style.
Ligurian:
# Franco D’Imporsan (1940-2019)

O l’ea un impiegou de banca, ma o l’à dedicou ascì gran parte da seu vitta a-o studio e a-a valorizzaçion da parlâ sanremmasca; autô e attô tiatrale o l’à fæto rappresentâ da-a Compagnia Stabile «Città di Sanremo» e comedie _L’umbra de Cleupatra_ (1971) e _E bügne du sciù Steva_ (1974), in conlaboaçion con Nini Sappia _A s’ciürma d’u Tricche-Tracche_. De poexia o l’à pubricou: _Deixe süneti aragiai e trei puemeti stravaganti_ (1979), _Vedri d’aiga dirse_ (1992) e _A veja magìgura_ (1999). Comme poeta, o D’Imporzano o s’é fæto nottâ, inta seu primma pubricaçion, pe l’impegno soçiale e satirico contra a scituaçion de degraddo da societæ do seu tempo, tanto che into seu segondo libbro o l’à dæto voxe à unna veña ciù sccettamente lirica, originäia e persuaxiva.

English translation:
# Franco D’Imporzano (1940-2019)

Franco D’Imporzano was a bank clerk, but he also devoted much of his life to the study and appreciation of the San Remo dialect. He was a theatrical author and actor, who published the plays _L’umbra de Cleupatra_ (1971), _E bügne du sciù Steva_ (1974) and, in collaboration with Nini Sappia, _A s’ciürma do Tricche-Tracche_,  performed by the Compagnia Stabile “Città di Sanremo”. As for poetry he published _Deixe süneti aragiai e trei puemeti stravaganti_ (1979), _Vedri d’aiga dirse_ (1992) and _A veja magìgura_ (1999). As a poet, D’Imporzano stood out, in his first publication, for his social and satirical engagement against the degraded state of society of his time, while in his second book he gave voice to a more bluntly lyrical, novel and persuasive vein.
Ligurian:
# Gabriê Ciabrea (sec. XVI–XVII)

Un di ciù avvoxæ poeti di seu tempi, l’immaginoso baròcco Ciabrea o l’à çercou pe-o primmo à introdue i metri da poexia grega e latiña inta poexia italiaña; o l’ea nasciuo à Saña do 1552, ond’o l’é mòrto do 1638; amigo do Cavallo e do Grimado Moassaña, o scrittô ch’o l’aiva dito de voei, comme o seu compatriòta Colombo «ò attrovâ un neuvo mondo, ò moî», o l’à scrito ascì træ cansoin in ligure, donde se peu attrovâ o mæximo ardio sperimentaliximo da seu produçion italiaña. O l’aiva scrito a prefaçion a-a primma ediçion da Çittara Zeneise, donde o reconosceiva into Cavallo o genio do Ligure, apreuvo che «a Liguria a produe òmmi Trovatoî, e Trovatoî de cöse no mai stæte imaginæ e à ïsa à ïsa stæte creddue». Sciben che no semmo guæi segui che ste «serenate» seggian d’in davei euvia do Ciabrea, sens’atro son a testemoniansa de un interesse locale pe-a poexia ligure, stæto influensou da-a contemporania lettiatua zeneise, ch’o no poeiva fâ de meno de avei unna continuaçion inta lettiatua ligure di secoli à vegnî.

English translation:
# Gabriello Chiabrera (16th–15th cent.)

The imaginative baroque author Chiabrera was one of the most famous poets of his time, and was the first to attempt to introduce the metres and stanzas of Greek and Latin poetry into Italian poetry. He was born in Savona in 1552, where he died in 1638. He was a friend of Cavalli and Grimaldi Murassana, and claimed that through poetry he wanted – like his compatriot Columbus in his geographical discoveries – “either to find a new world or perish”. He composed a number of songs in Ligurian, in which one finds the same bold experimentalism as in his Italian production. He wrote the preface to the first edition of the Cittara Zeneise, in which he acknowledged Cavalli’s Ligurian genius, since “Liguria produces Troubadour men, and Troubadours of things never imagined and barely believed”. Even if we are not quite sure that these “serenatas” are really the work of Chiabrera, they are certainly evidence of a local interest in Ligurian poetry, influenced by contemporary Genoese literature, which could not fail to find continuators in Ligurian literature in the centuries to come.
Ligurian:
# Gaitan Gallin (sec. XVIII)

O Steva De Franchi o l’aiva incoraggio o seu amigo Gaitan Gallin, pittô da vitta do quæ no se sa guæi ninte, à representâ inte unna serie de quaddri i fæti do sollevo popolare di 10 dexembre 1746 contra i austro-piemonteixi. O Gallin gh’é stæto ciù cao responde a-a domanda de l’amigo con unna serie de dixineuve sunetti, nint’afæto teixi à exartâ l’eroiximo e a guæra, feua che inte quarche momento, ma ciù fito pin de unna feliçitæ pensamentosa e tòsto do senso da vanitæ de tutte e cöse.

Unna cannonâ a l’é passâ da-a vexin a-o generale Bòtta Adorno,[^1] à reisego de mandâlo à l’atro mondo, e o generale o l’é dapeu arriescio à scappâ de pe-e montagne. O Gallin o ghe prega d’anâ fiña in cao do mondo, donde se treuva – segondo unna tradiçion – a pria, de donde nasce tutti i venti e e tempeste do mondo.

[^1]: O generaliscimo Bòtta Adorno o commandava l’exerçito austriaco e o l’ea d’origine ligure; gh’ea da ruzze vegia tra lê e i patriçi zeneixi, apreuvo che i seu antenati ean stæti foestæ; a popolaçion zeneise a ghe l’aiva in grinta, in tegnîlo pe un treitô.

O poeta into complesso o no l’é tanto piggiou da l’exartaçion do fæto guerresco, ma o l’à ciù fito a tendensa à raxonâ, à riflette in scê glöie passæ de Zena che, comme son vegnue, porrian un giorno ëse ascordæ, ò passâ in segondo cian.

English translation:
# Gaetano Gallino (18th cent.)

Stefano De Franchi had encouraged his friend Gaetano Gallino, a painter of whose life not much is known, to represent the events of the popular uprising of 10 December 1746 against the Austro-Piedmontese in a series of paintings. Gallino preferred to respond to his friend’s request with a series of nineteen sonnets, not at all aimed at extolling heroism and war – except for a few passages – but rather filled with a pensive happiness and almost a sense of the vanity of all things.

A cannon shot grazes general Botta Adorno,[^1] who almost dies, but the general then manages to escape across the mountains. Gallino wishes him to go all the way to the end of the world, where – according to legend – the stone from which all winds and storms of the world arise.

[^1]: General Botta Adorno led the Austrian army and was of Ligurian origin. There was an old grudge between him and the Genoese aristocracy, as his ancestors had been exiled. The Genoese population hated him, considering him a traitor.

On the whole, the poet is not so much caught up in the exaltation of battle, but rather shows a tendency to reason, to reflect on Genoa’s past glories that, as they have come, may one day be forgotten, or fade into history.
Ligurian:
# Giambattista Rapallo (1848–1929)

O l’é stæto un mego ben assæ astimmou e asciduo conlaboatô do giornale umoristico «Il Successo», dond’o firmava co-o nomiagio de «Baciccia»; gh’ea cao a forma metrica do sunetto e a seu produçion letteräia a l’ea tòsto areo à carattere còmico e satirico, ma co-o passâ di anni bisà ammette che i seu versci son de soventi ciù spiitoxi e ciù indovinæ de quelli de atri bossettisti ciù conosciui, seu contemporanii e successoî, anche inte de atre parlæ italiañe. A-o manco o «Baciccia» o ê cioccava secche e sensa pei in sciâ lengua, sensa contâ a qualitæ do seu zeneise, no de ræo ciù sccetto e genuin de quello de tanti. Quarchiduña de seu battue a l’é vegnua mai tanto de quello popolare ch’a gia ancon oua comme unna barselletta anònima, e de belle vòtte pâ ch’aggian dæto o sponto à de scenette de l’avvoxou còmico Giöxeppe Marzari. E seu poexie son asquæxi tutte accheuggeite into volumme _Baciccia_ (1927).

[^1]: in senso irònico e figuou: un mascarson.

De vòtte, o Baciccia o lascia i seu cai temmi bossettistichi e còmichi pe toccâ di argomenti ciù seri. Comme tutti i seu contemporanii do «secolo di lummi» e do Ballo Excelsior, pe-i grendi progresci da sciensa moderna, o ghe dedica di versci, donde o l’arriva à un bon equilibrio artistico e poetico.

English translation:
# Giambattista Rapallo (1848–1929)

He was a highly esteemed physician and an assiduous contributor to the humorous newspaper “Il Successo”, where he signed with the pseudonym “Baciccia”. He preferred the sonnet form and his literary output is almost exclusively comical and satirical in character, but nowadays it must be acknowledged that his verses are often wittier and more apt than those of other better-known comedians, his contemporaries and successors, even in other Italian regional languages. At least “Baciccia” struck sure and unabashedly, not to mention the quality of his Genoese, not infrequently more frank and genuine than that of many. Some of his jokes have become so popular that they still circulate today as anonymous jokes, and on a few occasions they seem to have provided the cue for sketches by the well-known comedian Giuseppe Marzari. His poems are largely collected in the volume _Baciccia_ (1927).

[^1]: ironic and figurative: a scoundrel.

Sometimes Baciccia leaves behind his favorite stereotypical and comedic themes to touch on more serious subjects. Enthusiastic – like all his contemporaries of the “Age of Enlightenment” and the Excelsior Ball – about the great advances made by modern science, he devotes verses to it in which he achieves an effective artistic and poetic balance.
Ligurian:
# Gin De Stefani (1887–1961)

Impiegou de Pòste, o l’aiva comensou do primmo doppoguæra à compoñe de poexie satiriche in sce L’Eco della Riviera; insemme con l’atro poeta dialettale sanremmasco Viçenso Jacono aivan creou a cobbia de popolen «Mastr’Antò o Basté» e «Bigin Sciaccastrasse» che se davan o cangio à scrive di sunetti satirichi in scê pagine do giornale. O primmo o l’é un vegio mogognon e tradiçionalista, ma saio e co-a testa à pòsto e a segonda unna bugaixe no meno tradiçionalista, ma pettellea e ciætosa. Inte quarche occaxon i doî personaggi son stæti portæ in scena, comme into caxo de Buriana stæta rappresentâ do 1952, donde se treuva ascì uña de poexie ciù avvoxæ do De Stefani: Caru mei campanin.

Inte sto monòlogo l’autô, stæte misse da banda pe unna vòtta bæghe muniçipale e nostargie de campanin, o fa parlâ un personaggio, ch’o mette à nuo l’amaa veitæ, espressa tra o grottesco e o melancònico, che a veitæ a no se peu dî.

English translation:
# Luigi De Stefani (1887–1961)

He was a postal clerk, who began in the early postwar period to compose satirical poems in L’Eco della Riviera. Along with the other well-known San Remo dialectal poet Vincenzo Jacono he created the pair of commoners “Mastr’Antò u Basté” and “Bigin Sciacastrasse” who took turns writing satirical sonnets in the newspaper’s columns. The former is a grumpy and traditionalist old man, but wise and level-headed, and the latter a washerwoman no less traditionalist, but gossipy and chatty. On a few occasions the two characters were brought to the stage, as in the case of Buriana, performed in 1952, which also features one of De Stefani’s most famous poems, Caru mei campanin.

In this monologue, the author, setting aside for once municipal quarrels and parochial nostalgia, creates a character who lays bare the bitter truth, expressed between the grotesque and the melancholy, that the truth cannot be told.
Ligurian:
# Gio. Françesco Baffico (sec. XVII)

Into poemetto Lamento de Lucrezia in ra morte de sò galante do paddre barnabita Gio. Françesco Baffico, oratô offiçiale da Repubrica, à l’intençion parodistica scimile à quella de çerte poexie do Rosso, se azzonze quella de imitâ o parlâ de classe popolare di sò tempi e se ghe distingue unna sò veitæ ambientale e linguistica. O Bellé, un darseniello innamoou da Lugreçia, figgia da fornæa, o l’é stæto ammassou inte unna riscia con quelli do Meu, e a notiçia a vëgne portâ a-a seu galante, ch’a se lascia anâ à lastime e centi, inta parlâ da Darsena (de quelli tempi).

English translation:
# Gio. Francesco Baffico (17th cent.)

In the poem Lamento de Lucrezia in ra morte de sò galante by the Barnabite friar Gio. Francesco Baffico, official orator of the Republic, we see a parodistic intent similar to that of certain poems by Rossi, combined with an aim to to imitate the speech of the working classes of his time, with its own distinctive environmental and linguistic accuracy. Bellè, an inhabitant of the Darsena area, who is in love with Lucrezia, the baker’s daughter, has been killed in a fight with people from the Molo, and the news is brought to his woman, who lets out wails and cries in the Darsena dialect (of those times).
Ligurian:
# Gioane Ghion (1952)

O Ghion o l’é nasciuo à Saña do 1952, ma o vive à Vaze e o l’à travaggiou à Zena comme fonçionäio da Region Liguria; o s’é interessou de Stöia religiosa e locale. Inta seu poexia o Ghion o se destacca da maniman da l’influensa do Firpo e o l’alterna toin narrativi, comme inta seu primma cheuggeita Navego incontro a-o sô (1988), à di atri sccettamente lirichi; comme o l’à scrito o F. Toso: «o pâ orientâse verso l’evocativa alluxivitæ do frammento, donde se ammuggia de imagine de soventi feliçe, solarmente compòste inta seu conclusa coerensa». O F. Gallea, da parte seu, inta seu presentaçion à Çercando a luxe (2010) o fa osservâ comme «i megio risultati se cheuggian inte quelle liriche donde o cheu o â vinse in sciâ raxon e o sentimento o sccionfa e o vëgne à ëse communicativo, e inte quelle donde se tesce quaddretti e ambienti intimi e accheuggeiti». Segondo o Maurizio Cucchi, in cangio, «O Ghion gh’é cao demoâse co-i versci… o va apreuvo a-a stradda do pittoresco vernacolare. Tutto ben, mæximo se, a-o conträio de quello che se porrieiva pensâ, arrivâ a-a poexia con sti mezi chì, o l’é de ancon ciù grammo fâ…». St’urtima çitaçion a ne conferma che a critica italiaña inta poexia «vernacolare» a çerca delongo o «pittoresco» tipico de unna conçeçion reduttiva e minô, che into caxo do Ghion a no l’é de seguo a caratteristica ciù importante.

Inti seu versci o Ghion o l’esprimme un vivo sentimento do tempo ch’o passa inesorabile, e o marca i momenti da vitta, che se peuan recupeâ co-a memöia.

English translation:
# Giovanni Ghione (1952)

Ghione was born in Savona in 1952, but he lives in Varazze and worked in Genoa as a civil servant for the administration of Liguria. His interests include religious and local history. In his poetry, Ghione gradually detaches himself from Firpo’s influence and alternates narrative tones, as in his first collection Navego incontro a-o sô (1988), with others that are bluntly lyrical. As F. Toso says, “he seems to lean toward the evocative allusiveness of the moment, in which often happy images accumulate, solarly composed in their concluded coherence”. F. Gallea, for his part, in his introduction to Çercando a luxe (2010) points out how “the best results are found in those lyrics where the heart wins over reason and sentiment springs forth and becomes communicative, and in those where intimate and collected scenes and environments are woven”. According to Maurizio Cucchi, however, “Ghione likes to play with verse … he follows the path of the picturesque vernacular. All well and good, although, contrary to what one might think, getting to poetry by these means is even more difficult…”. This last quote confirms for us that Italian critics of “vernacular” poetry always look for the “picturesque”, typical of a reductive and lesser conception, which in Ghione’s case is by far not the most important feature.

In his verses Ghione expresses a vivid feeling of the time that passes inexorably, and marks the moments of life, which can be recaptured with memory.
Ligurian:
# Giöxeppe Cascinelli (1928–2017)

Nasciuo à Dôçeo (IM), o l’é stæto un aguo studioso di poeti liguri do Neuveçento e finiscimo critico letteräio: o l’à cuou tra l’atro l’ediçion di cartezzi Pascoli-Novaro, Ettore Serra-Titta Rosa, Boine-Novaro; da arregordâse ascì i seu studdi in sciô Aldo Capasso, in sce Giovanni Boine e i poeti de La Riviera Ligure, e anche l’ediçion de tutte e poexie do Mario Novaro. Reservou e introverso, a seu euvia poetica ræa e preçiosa inta parlâ do paise ond’o l’ea nasciuo a se peu accostâ pöcassæ à quella do Doardo Firpo, pe-o stupô tòsto da figgeu che l’autô o l’esprimme de fronte a-o mondo da natua e a-o strixellâ da vitta, e a propenscion à transfiguâ o paisaggio intonou a-i stati d’animo. De despægio da-o Firpo, into Cascinelli gh’é unna fermiscima fede into Segnô, chi caratterizza tutta a seu inspiaçion.

Se se confronta sto testo con A puira de F. Rostan, se peu osservâ che un stato d’animo in sostansa pægio o vëgne espresso inte un mòddo ben ben ciù scötrio e fonicamente studiou.

English translation:
# Giuseppe Cassinelli (1928–2017)

Cassinelli was born in Dolcedo (Imperia). A keen scholar of 20th-century Ligurian poets and a very fine literary critic, he edited, among other things, the Pascoli-Novaro, Ettore Serra-Titta Rosa, Boine-Novaro correspondence. Worthy of mention are also his studies on Aldo Capasso, Giovanni Boine and the poets of La Riviera Ligure, as well as the edition of all the poems of Mario Novaro. Reserved and introverted, his rare and precious poetic work in the tongue of his native village can be roughly likened to that of Edoardo Firpo, in terms of the almost childlike astonishment the author expresses before the world of nature and the flow of life, and the aptitude for transfiguring the landscape in tune with states of mind. Unlike Firpo, however, Cassinelli’s inspiration is characterized by a very firm faith in God.

If one compares this text with F. Rostan ’s A puira, one can see how an essentially identical state of mind is expressed here in a manner that’s far more cunning and phonically well thought out.
Ligurian:
# Giöxeppe Cava (1870–1940)

Savoneise, o l’ea un operäio de fede anarchica, autodidatta; dòppo avei perso unna gamba in sciô travaggio in caxon de unna desgraçia, o l’é vegnuo à ëse stampou e giornalista. Stæto condannou à sei meixi de prexon do 1894, dòppo avei scontou a peña o l’é anæto in Fransa, Svissea e Germania. O l’é vegnuo torna à Saña do 1902, e o l’à comensou à pubricâ o settemanâ Il Marciapiede. Do 1934 l’an piggiou inta çivica biblioteca A. G. Barrili, ma o l’é stæto liçençiou quattr’anni apreuvo, pe raxoin politiche. E seu poexie savoneixi son accheuggeite into volumme Into remoin (1930) e, fòscia anche pe ëse sciortie in tempo de dittatua, no lascian straluxî afæto a pascion politica de l’autô, ma son imbeviæ da unna modeâ cantabilitæ, un legio paisaggiximo e unn’attençion vernacolare pe-o cô locale. Inti seu versci ciù arriescii, o Cava (conosciuo ascì co-o nomiagio «Beppin da Cà») o fa vegnî in cheu a muxicalitæ de l’inlustre conterraneo Gabriê Ciabrea, ma tutto l’insemme o ne sa un pittin de Arcadia in retardio. Into çiclo de poexie stæte dedicæ a-a seu figgetta mòrta, o libeo pensatô Cava o l’attreuva, in cangio, di commoventi açenti de spiitualitæ.

Sta poexia e quella apreuvo, adattiscime à ëse muxicæ, son stæte cantæ da-a Roberta Alloisio e accheuggeite respettivamente inti seu albi _Lengua Serpentina_ e _Janua_.

English translation:
# Giuseppe Cava (1870–1940)

Born in Savona, he was a anarchist factory worker, self-taught, who lost a leg in an accident at work and later became a printer and journalist. Sentenced to six months in prison in 1894, after serving his sentence he went to France, Switzerland and Germany. He returned to Savona in 1902, and began publishing the weekly magazine Il marciapiede. In 1934, he was employed at the civic library A. G. Barrili, from which he was dismissed four years later for political reasons. His poems from Savona are collected in the silloge Into remoin (1930). The author’s political passion does not shine through these poems at all – perhaps because they were published in times of dictatorship – but they are suffused with a moderate lyricism, a tenuous pastoral style and a vernacular attention to local color. In his most successful verses, Cava (also known by the nickname “Beppin da Cà”) recalls the musicality of his illustrious countryman Gabriello Chiabrera, but the overall effect is somewhat reminiscent of a latecoming Arcadia. In the cycle of poems dedicated to his dead daughter, the freethinker Cava instead finds poignant accents of spirituality.

This poem and the next, very suitable to be set to music, were sung by Roberta Alloisio and collected respectively in her albums _Lengua Serpentina_ and _Janua_.
Ligurian:
# Giöxeppe Peagallo (1812–1849)

O Peagallo o l’ea conosciuo pe-e seu Canzoni Sacre Popolari in italian, ch’aivan unna grande diffuxon e do 1870 ean za arrivæ à vintiquattro ediçioin; in zeneise a seu veña a l’ea ciufito occaxonä, segondo quante scrivan i editoî inta prefaçion à l’ediçion 1870 de seu poexie: «…e ciù tante, stæte scrite, ò pe megio dî, improvisæ inte de pubriche Academie into Semenäio Arçivescovî, spian brio, gaibo, natualessa, no separæ da quella gastigatessa tipica da seu bella anima». Uña de seu poexie zeneixi ciù conosciue â divan inmancabilemente à Dënâ i figgeu in pê in sce unna carrega de promê a-o Preseppio inte gexe: «Cao Bambinetto dexiderou / ah, scialla scialla che t’ò trovou…» e a se treuva inseia pe errô comme euvia de un anònimo savoneise inte _O Cicciollâ_. Antologia della poesia savonese (Lodola, Saña, 1930).

De sentimenti libeali, repubrichen e antiaustriachi, o Peagallo inte sto testo o ne dà «un caratteristico exempio de poexia çivile, ligâ à temmi risorgimentali, interessante soviatutto comme fenòmeno de gusto e comme testemoniansa da fonçion divulgatoa, affiâ à l’esprescion zeneise into periodo avanti l’Unitæ d’Italia» [1].

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

English translation:
# Giuseppe Peragallo (1812–1849)

Peragallo was known for his Canzoni Sacre Popolari in Italian, which had a wide circulation and in 1870 had already reached twenty-four editions. In Genoese his streak was rather sporadic, according to what the editors wrote in the preface to the 1870 edition of his poems: “most of them written, or rather improvised in the public Academies in the Archbishop’s Seminary, they breathe brio, grace, naturalness, not separated from that chastity typical of his beautiful soul”. One of his best-known Genoese poems was invariably declaimed at Christmas time by children standing on a chair in front of the Nativity scene in churches: “Cao Bambinetto dexiderou / ah, scialla scialla che t’ò trovou…” and is mistakenly included as the work of an anonymous Savona poet in _O Cicciollâ_. An Anthology of Savona Poetry (Lodola, Savona, 1930).

Of liberal, republican, and anti-Austrian sentiments, Peragallo in this text gives us “a characteristic example of civil poetry, linked to Risorgimento themes, interesting above all as a phenomenon of taste and as evidence of the popularizing function, entrusted to Genoese expression in the pre-unification period” [1].

[1] F. Toso, _La letteratura ligure in genovese e nei dialetti locali_, Le Mani, Recco, 2009.
Ligurian:
# Guiddo Nilsen (1893–1964)

Nasciuo à Zena da poæ norvegin affermou commersante in darsena, o Nilsen o l’é stæto meno à l’euggio de seu poæ inte costioin econòmiche e o s’é reduto da maniman à condiçioin finançiäie desaxæ. A seu poexia a privilegia di stati d’animo melancònichi, «pe-o ciù ligæ à unna conscideaçion fatalistica da vitta» [1], che pan che gh’attreuvan recatto sôo che inta fede religiosa, ò o regòrdo di momenti feliçi. O l’à scrito ascì in italian e franseise e o l’é stæto sportivo conosciuo comme tutto in çittæ, comme pratticante do ballon da neuo.

O compiaximento muxicale de tanto liriche do Nilsen, e de quarche atro autô ch’emmo mensunou finoua, o no peu no tramandâ à çerti desviluppi intimisti e melancònichi da ben conosciua «scheua» di cantautoî zeneixi; mæximo se no gh’é di elementi che ne consentan de pensâ à un influscio diretto da poexia in zeneise in scî cantautoî, ò a-a reversa, se peu tutti i mòddi fâ rifeimento à un mæximo stato d’animo, à un spiito do tempo e di pòsti, o senso de descazzimento de unna çittæ antiga, ch’a l’agge infloio sensa dâlo à divedde e inte varia mesua in sce l’euvia de tutti sti autoî, d’atra parte mai tanto despægi fra de lô.

L’amô pe-a vitta de mâ a l’é un di temmi fondamentali da poexia do Nilsen, ch’o ne piggia occaxon pe de meditaçioin existençiale; ven torna inte sti versci anche o tema da navegaçion comme mainea de scappâ da unna realitæ ch’a l’é sentia comme nemiga e piña de erlia, ch’emmo de za incontrou inti versci do Opisso.

[2] fascia: terrassamento artefiçiale de un bricco pe cortivâ, tipico de l’entrotæra ligure.

English translation:
# Guido Nilsen (1893–1964)

Nilsen was born in Genoa to a Norwegian father who was an established merchant in the dockyard. He was less shrewd than his parent in economic matters, and gradually fell into hardship financially. His poetry favors melancholy moods, “mostly related to a painfully fatalistic consideration of life” [1], which seem to be remedied only by religious faith, or the memory of happy times. He also wrote in Italian and French and was a well-known sportsman in the city, as a water polo player.

The musical nature of many of Nilsen’s lyrics, and those of some of the other authors we have mentioned so far, echoes certain Intimist and melancholic developments of the well-known Genoese songwriting “school”. Even if there are no elements that allow us to think of a direct influence of Genoese poetry on the singer-songwriters, or vice versa, one can still refer to a common mood, to a spirit of time and place, the twilight sense of an ancient city, that has impalpably and to varying degrees informed the work of all these authors, who are, moreover, so different from each other.

The love of life at sea is one of the fundamental themes of Nilsen’s poetry, which draws from it existential meditations. The theme of sailing as an escape from a reality perceived as hostile and distressing, which we have already encountered in Opisso’s verses, also returns in these poems.

[2] fascia: artificial terracing of a hill for cultivation purposes, typical of the Ligurian hinterland.
Ligurian:
# Instruçioin à Seguan

Testemonianse de un deuvio do vorgâ zeneise da parte da Cançellaia do Commun compariscian scin da-a primma meitæ do secolo XIV. O zeneise o l’assumme fonçioin de lengua scrita offiçiâ da-a rente (ma assæ in subòrdene) a-o latin, apreuvo che e varie magistratue do Stato deuvian à reo o mæximo vorgâ à livello parlou. O Spotorno (1821) o mensuña un Antögno Cavanna, giureconsulto e òmmo politico che tra o 1390 e o 1430 o l’ea oratô in zeneise ben ben avvoxou. Remontan a-a meitæ do Trexento e instruçioin politiche, stæte indirissæ da-o Commun de Zena à Seguan, tanto che à Famagosta o defende e raxoin de Zena de fronte a-o Re de Çipro; i Poæ do Commun, insemme co-e instruçioin, forniscian à Seguan unna trassa de cös’o doviâ dî a-o Re, se st’urtimo o se dovesse mostrâ conträio a-i interesci de Zena e di mercanti presenti in Çipro.

English translation:
# Instructions to Sigurano

Evidence of the use of the Genoese vernacular by the Municipal Chancellery appears as early as the first half of the 14th century. Genoese became the official written language alongside (but in a very subordinate position to) Latin, as the various magistracies of the state continuously used the same vernacular at a spoken level. Spotorno (1821) names one Antonio Cavanna, a jurist and politician who was a very famous orator in Genoese between 1390 and 1430. Political instructions, addressed by the Commune of Genoa to Sigurano, to defend Genoa’s interests in Famagusta before the King of Cyprus date back to the mid 14th century. The Fathers of the Commune, with the instructions, provide Sigurano with an outline of what he should say to the King, should the latter show himself contrary to the interests of Genoa and the merchants in Cyprus.
Ligurian:
# Jean Aicardi (1923)

Giornalista, comediògrafo e rievocatô, in italian, de patrie memöie, o Aicardi o l’à pubricou in zeneise e doe cheuggeite de versci E mæ prie e Pan föe, tutte doe do 1977, con l’intençion de divorgâ i valoî da zeneixitæ, comm’o î veddeiva lê. O l’é un poeta che de lirico o no l’à guæi ninte e a seu a l’é ciufito da preusa in versci; in ciù, de belle vòtte o s’ingamba inte di toin enfatichi e declamatöi, ma se ne peu apprexâ a tentativa de mette in luxe i elementi poxitivi de tanti leughi commuin, che gia in fæto de Zena e de zeneixi.

English translation:
# Jean Aicardi (1923)

Aicardi was a journalist, playwright, and re-enactor, in Italian, of his homeland's memories. He published in Genoese the two collections of verses E mæ prie and Pan föe, both in 1977, with the aim of popularizing the values of the Genoese as he saw them. He is a poet who has very little lyricism, his being rather versified prose. Moreover, he often stumbles in emphatic and declamatory tones, but one can appreciate his attempt to highlight the positive elements of so many common clichés about Genoa and the Genoese.
Ligurian:
# La raxone de la Pasca (sec. XV)

_La raxone de la Pasca_ o l’é un incunabolo, do quæ son conosciui solo che doî exemplari, e o conta varri primmati: dæto ch’o remonta a-o 1474, o l’é o primmo testo à stampa ch’o segge sciortio in Liguria, o primmo «lunäio» stæto stampou da ste bande, e un di primmi in Italia. No se sa con seguessa chi l’agge scrito, ma unna parte a l’é un estræto, vortou inte unna qualitæ de vorgâ ben ben azeneisou, de doe euvie dovue à l’umanista Jacopo Bracelli: a Descriptio Orae Ligusticae e o De claris Genunsibus Libellus. E çitaçioin, sciben apòcrife, da Dante e tutto l’insemme fan pensâ à unna persoña de coltua, fòscia un religioso, che in mainea velâ o piggia poxiçion inta politica di seu tempi e La raxone a s’inseisce into filon de poexia çivile che scin da-o prinçipio o caratterizza a lettiatua in zeneise; segondo o F. Toso, «a representa un di anelli che consentan a lettua di documenti letteräi in zeneise segondo quella progrescion ch’a permette de organizzâli inte unn’istöia originäia, de espeiense lenguistiche, coltuale e, in senso ancio, artistiche».

L’anonimo autô o fa unna descriçion de tutto o gorfo ligure, da-a Turbia, fin a-o Cao Cröo, in confirmâ che, alantoa comme oua, quelli son i termi da Liguria.

Ven apreuvo un lözo di zeneixi inlustri e de seu impreise, con addue varri exempi do seu grande animo e da seu lealtæ e abnegaçion.

English translation:
# La raxone de la Pasca (15th cent.)

_La raxone de la Pasca_ is an incunabulum, of which only two copies are known, and it can boast several historical firsts: since it dates from 1474, it is the first printed text to have come out in Liguria, the first “lunäio” printed in this region, and one of the first in Italy. It is not known for sure who wrote it, but in part it is an excerpt, translated into a kind of very Genoese vernacular, from two works by the humanist Jacopo Bracelli: the Descriptio Orae Ligusticae and the De claris Genuensibus Libellus. The quotations, albeit apocryphal, from Dante, as well as the overall work, suggest a cultured person, perhaps a religious man, who in a veiled way takes a stand in the politics of his times, and La raxone fits into the strand of civil poetry that has characterized literature in Genoese from the beginning. According to F. Toso, “it represents one of the links that allow the reading of literary documents in Genoese according to that progression that allows them to be organized into an original ‘history’ of linguistic, cultural and, in a broad sense, artistic experiences”.

The anonymous author gives a description of the entire Ligurian Gulf, from Turbia to Cape Corvo, confirming that, then as now, these are the borders of Liguria.

This is followed by a eulogy of the illustrious Ligurians and their exploits, citing various examples of their courage and loyalty and self-sacrifice.
Ligurian:
# Laude religiose

Fra Trexento e Quattroçento se diffonde unna produçion laudistica de proveniensa çentro-italiaña, in parte basâ direttamente in scî testi do Iacopone de Todi; i inscistii reciammi a-a concòrdia e à l’espiaçion parrieivan accordâse ben con un momento istòrico mai tanto storbio e à unna çittæ dilaniâ da-e lòtte intestiñe. Inte sta laude XVI, l’attençion do poeta a l’é tutta çentrâ in sce un solo particolâ da scena da Pascion, o corpo de lansa, e a scituaçion a vëgne çerneggiâ da tutti i ponti de vista. Da osservâ che o nomme do çenturion Longin, into parlâ popolare fin à quarche anno fa, o l’aiva finio pe ëse identificou con quello do diao.

English translation:
# Religious lauds

Between the 14th and 15th centuries, a laudatory production of central Italian origin spread, partly based directly on the texts of Jacopone da Todi; the insistent calls for concord and expiation would seem to fit well with such a turbulent historical moment and a city torn apart by internal strife. In this laud XVI, the poet’s attention is entirely focused on a single detail of the Passion scene, the thrust of the spear, and the situation is analysed from all points of view. It should be noted that the name of the centurion Longinus in popular parlance, until a few years ago, had come to be identified with that of the devil.
Ligurian:
# Livio Gianolla (1938)

O l’é de Arcoa e, inti doî volummi _Dar castelo au razao_ (1981) e _Lungo vota e vioi_ (1988), o l’à descrito a vitta contadiña do seu paise, ch’a l’é apreuvo à scentâ, e i seu personaggi, sensa nisciuña idealizzaçion, ma in çercâ de conservâne a memöia pe quello ch’a l’ea; in fæto, o Gianolla, za da-e primme avvisagge de quella che oua ciammemmo realtæ «fluida», o s’è sentio comme mancâ a tæra sotta i pê, perché tutto quello mondo de seguesse, quello terren södo, che pe di secoli o l’ea stæto a base da vitta do paise, da maniman o deliggiava e o lasciava o pòsto à de relaçioin soçiale artefiçiose, à unna vitta sensa ciù arrembi, sensa pòrti segui. A poexia do Gianolla a l’è donca da interpretâ – dixe o F. Toso – comme «a defeisa contra i assati do tempo de quarcösa ch’o l’é ancon vivo e ch’o parpella». Un quarcösa, azzonziëscimo niatri – ch’o descazze e o se degradda in desdaxo, insemme con tutto o resto do mondo.

Inte ste poexie, l’innamoâ descriçion do paisaggio ligure a cangia de cô e a se mesccia con e memöie de un poæ e de tutta unna vitta, stæta dedicâ a-o travaggio e a-o dovei verso a famiggia.

English translation:
# Livio Gianolla (1938)

He is from Arcola, and in the two volumes _Dar castelo au razao_ (1981) and _Lungo vota e vioi_ (1988) he described the peasant life of his village – a life that is disappearing – and its characters, without any idealization, but trying to preserve its memory for what it was. In fact, Gianolla, already from the first glimpses of what we now call “fluid” reality, felt that the ground was missing under his feet, because all that world of certainties, that solid ground, which for centuries had been the basis of village life, was gradually crumbling and giving way to artificial social relations, to a life with no more safety net, with no safe harbors. Gianolla’s poetry is thus to be interpreted – says F. Toso – as “the defense against the assaults of time on something that is still alive and palpitating”. Something, we may add, that decays and degrades inadvertently, along with everything else in the world.

In these poems, the enamored description of the Ligurian landscape transcends and unites with the memories of a father and a whole life dedicated to work and duty to family.
Ligurian:
# Luì Notari (1879–1961)

Inzegnê, direttô di Travaggi Pubrichi into Prinçipato de Monego e dapeu assessô communâ, o l’à creou o Giardin Esòtico, un di ciù originäi e ammiæ parchi da Rivea. O l’à fondou o Comitao de Tradiçioe Monegasche e do 1927 o l’à pubricou A legenda de Santa Devota, poemma naçionale monegasco. Pe seu iniçiativa s’é avuo, à partî da-o 1931, o Festin Monegascu, manifestaçion ch’a nasceiva da-a conlaboaçion di comitæ de tradiçioin de Monego, Menton, e Ventemiggia, in parallelo a-a pubricaçion de A Barma Grande, antologia ch’a cheuggeiva tutti i anni a produçion di scrittoî intemeli in lengua ligure. O l’é ascì autô de testi tiatrali. Atre euvie: _Bülüghe munegasche_ (1941), _Quelques notes sur le traditions de Monaco_ (1960). Inta conteisa tra Italia e Fransa pe-o possesso de tære ligure «inredente» o Notari, comme monegasco o l’ambiva à poñise comme ombrissallo da bansa.

English translation:
# Louis Notari (1879–1961)

He was an engineer, director of Public Works in the Principality of Monaco and later city councilor. He created the Exotic Garden, one of the most original and admired parks on the Riviera. He founded the Committee of Monegasque Traditions and in 1927 published A legenda de Santa Devota, a Monegasque national poem. From 1931 onwards, on his initiative, the Festin Munegascu was held, an event that arose from the collaboration of the committees of traditions of Monaco, Menton and Ventimiglia, in parallel with the publication of A barma grande, an anthology that collected each year the production of intemelio writers in the Ligurian language. He is also the author of theatrical texts. Other works: _Bülüghe munegasche_ (1941), _Quelques notes sur le traditions de Monaco_ (1960). In the dispute between Italy and France over the possession of “unredeemed” Ligurian lands, Notari aspired to hold the balance of power.
Ligurian:
# Luiggi Domenego Fæña (1831–1907)

L’avvocato e procuou Luiggi Domenego Fæña, un di ciù avvoxæ di seu tempi, o l’é stæto tra i continuatoî do Piaggio inta redaçion do Lunâio do Sciô Regiña, do quæ o s’é occupou tra o 1864 e o 1876, dòppo o Gioane Casassa e o Luiggi Döia. De idee libeale e repubricañe comme o contemporaneo Luggi Pedevilla e comme o predeçessô Gioane Casassa, o no l’à mancou de satirezzâ o Goerno sabaudo da-e pagine de l’armanacco e de rincianze in versci «quelli tempi fortunæ / ch’eimo ancon repubrichen». Tra e seu euvie ciù conosciue, s’arregòrda A föa da bella Reusaspiña e I sette zuavi. Poeta sorvetutto çivile e politico, o l’é ancon oua inedito in volumme e a poexia che chì presentemmo, de perenne attualitæ, a l’é tiâ feua da-o Lunäio pe-o 1874.

English translation:
# Luigi Domenico Farina (1831–1907)

Lawyer and prosecutor Luigi Domenico Farina, one of the most reputed of his time, was among the people who followed Piaggio in editing Lunäio do Sciô Regiña, whose compilation he oversaw between 1864 and 1876, after Giovanni Casaccia and Luigi Doria. Of liberal and republican spirits like his contemporary Luggi Pedevilla and like his predecessor Giovanni Casaccia, he did not fail to satirize the Savoyard government from the pages of the almanac and to regret in verse “those fortunate times / when we were still republicans”. Among his best-known works are La fiaba della bella Rosaspina and I sette Zuavi. A primarily civil and political poet, he is to this day unpublished in volume and the poem we present here, of perennial relevance, is from the 1874 issue of Lunäio do Sciô Regiña.
Ligurian:
# Luiggi Panê (1903–1960)

Floricultô de Leua, o l’é mòrto assascinou pe de raxoin desconosciue e l’assascin (ò i assascin) o n’é mai stæto attrovou. A seu produçion poetica a l’é da tanti avvexinâ à quella do Firpo, pe-o vivo sentimento da natua ch’o l’exibisce occaxoin à de meditaçioin à carattere intimistico e existençiale à ïsa à ïsa accennæ.

English translation:
# Luigi Panero (1903–1960)

He was a floriculturist from Loano, who was murdered for obscure reasons, and the killer (or killers) was never found. His poetic production is likened by many to that of Firpo, for the vivid feeling of nature that offers cues to meditations of an intimate and existential nature, which is barely hinted at.
Ligurian:
# Luiggi Perseuggio (1830–1911)

O l’é stæto un combattivo gexuita, giornalista e polemista, autô de comedie de impegno politico e morale. O l’à exartou o mondo popolare e contadin ligure, inti quæ valoî, mentalitæ e lenguaggio o l’identificava un baluardo contra a corruçion di tempi. Tra e seu comedie, pe-o ciù pubricæ in sce «La settimana religiosa», periòdico catòlico, e rappresentæ tramite a ræ di tiatri de parròcchie, arregordemmo I pastoî a-o presepio e Un pentemin à Zena. Into seu dramma satirico Un paise socialista (1902), un agitatô de nomme Marx o provoca un corpo de Stato e o l’instituisce un goerno basou in scî prinçipi do communiximo. Quande l’espeimento o fallisce, o Marx o scappa co-e casce do Stato.

English translation:
# Luigi Persoglio (1830–1911)

He was a combative Jesuit, journalist and polemicist, author of politically and morally enganged comedies. He exalted the popular and rural Ligurian world, in whose values, mentality and language he identified a bulwark against the corruption of the times. His comedies, mostly published in “La settimana religiosa”, a Catholic peridodical and performed through the network of parish theaters, include I pastoî a-o presepio and Un pentemin à Zena. In his satirical drama Un paise socialiste (1902) an agitator named Marx provokes a coup and establishes a government based on the principles of communism. When the experiment fails, Marx takes flight with the state coffers.
Ligurian:
# Luiggi Pòggi

O l’ea un infermê de l’uspiâ de San Martin e poeta, comme o dixe o F. Toso [1], «animou da un vivo senso da natua, che pe-o ciù o se resciòrve inte di exiti mutuæ da l’euvia de l’amigo e meistro Alfredo Gismondi ». I versci do Pòggi son semplici e cantabili, anche in conseguensa de l’attivitæ do poeta, autô de testi de cansonette. O l’à pubricou Da l’alba a-o tramonto (Zena, 1949) e Lezi… passa… taxi (Zena, 1953).

[2] Castello Boccanegra (nòtta de l’autô).

English translation:
# Luigi Poggi

He was a nurse at the San Martino Hospital and a poet. As F. Toso wrote [1], he was “animated by a lively sense of nature, which mostly resolves itself in outcomes borrowed from the work of his friend and teacher Alfredo Gismondi ”. Poggi’s verses are simple and song-like, partly as a result of the poet’s work as a songwriter. He published Da l’alba a-o tramonto (Zena, 1949) and Lezi… passa… taxi.

[2] Castello Boccanegra (note by the author).