Converted loft, fourth floor
40 square meters, two rooms
with bathroom, kitchen and entry.
Both the room, painted white
and orange – in good state – are about
the same size. Enough for a double bed,
the cradle, a cupboard and a night table.
In the other one a desk or a table
with some chairs and then a sofa,
better if with bed inside, for the guests
which came from far away or stayed
later than the last bus home.
A stereo system could be put in there as well
with wooden speakers and a case
for vinyls and cds.
Not furnished then, maybe a one
and a half bed will be left and a little
television table too. Not the washing machine.
The windows, with north exposure,
give all onto the inner court,
not really big, but silent:
they let inside the light and the shadow
of an old deciduous beech tree.
The ones of a room and of the kitchen
open on the sloping roof,
not much, actually, yet the snow
slips slowly on them in winter.
The one of the other room is without jalousie
instead and it would wear well a blue
curtain to be closed also during the day
sometimes, without turning on the lights.
The bathroom and the WC – separate –
have a little ventilator
and white and blue tiles
and mixers for the taps which
don’t let wait long for the shower
when you are already undressed.
The kitchen has electric cookers
with which you have to calculate carefully
the cooking time and just little space
to accumulate dirty dishes.
Part of the flat are also a small
and a little damp cellar
– not good for books, better for the clothes
out ot season – and a place for the bike as well
in the court, next to the border fence.
To go upstairs there is an old spiral staircase
or the lift of the building next door
(you receive the keys for that). The guests
can however do without it.
The rent is comprehensive of heating
and warm water. Only electricity is left
in Dietrichsteingasse 7, flat 18, IX Bezirk
nearby is the Liechtensteinpark
and the boutiques a little flashy
of Porzellangasse.
Originally posted in Italian on April 15, 2008 at 17:04
Friday, May 2, 2008
Notes for the rent of a flat in Vienna
to my father in the garden
As soon as you went tiptoe into the garden
the earth immediately fitted your feet and then
followed them inside. It was us who knew
that there was no more way to clear it.
The trees, you lifted them just a hem
of their skirt to let a rivulet pass,
then you glued yourself on the resin
of the cherry tree, leafing through an old
lighter sheltered from the wind.
The worn keys you held since ever
were no more for opening or closing
but they knew the tracks of your hands
while with the third finger you depollinated
your unbroken curved cigarette.
At the promises of actions and words
you granted one of your It’s not worth,
and maybe right this long hated lesson of yours
I will have to support tomorrow
impostor, in front of the young crowd of mistakes
when the fruits will rot on the ground
not far from the branches
and the millipedes will stay
rolled up on themselves, still,
under the heavy pots of the ferns.
Originally posted in Italian on April 9, 2008 at 18:24
Spring [I]
On the other side of the bridge
On the other side of the bridge
the leaves slided down
– dry on the water –
have reappeared without
any other wood sound.
Originally posted in Italian on March 30, 2008 at 21:23
Haiku for a new-born child [I]
to little Rui
It’s made of little failures
the way of the father.
The child won’t remember them.
Originally posted in Italian on March 27, 2008 at 12:30
Apocryphal koans: Case III
While master Nan-ch’üan and his first pupil Chao-chou walked along the Huang-shan mountains, the first pupil said: – Master, those trees grow perfectly straight though the steep ground down in the valley. How do they know the right direction?
Nan-ch’üan answered: – There is no other possibility.
Poem
Crooked grounds, straight trees:
no other possibility.
Straight grounds, crooked trees:
existence ignores its own direction.
Originally posted in Italian on March 15, 2008 at 22:16
Upside-down
Underwear underground underfloor
undersea underbelly underfoot
underclass underling underdog underpaid underhand
under-secretary undertaker
buries undertone under the bed
secretly stolen underskirts
I underlined underwritten
underestimated underdeveloped understated
put under key
pushed underwater
under the red sun
over the blue moon
becoming pale green.
Subordinate subhuman subaltern
submissive subliminal subculture
subversive subject on the subway
subscribed subtitled subnormal
substituted with a subterrenean subcontractual subterfuge
subcutaneous subtropical subventions
subatomic particle
subconscious memory
subsonic shout
subdivided in sublime and subtle
submarines.
Overpowered overpaid overlord in overdose
overly overgrown overweight overnight
overeaten overflown
overall oversexed
overbearing overawing the overworking class
overtaxed in overtime
overruled since overture.
Overproduction crisis
subventioned with surplus
staying in surplace
overlooking
the overcrowded world overcharged overloaded overblown
overexposed overdressed overshadowed.
Superego
superhuman superman
superb supreme superconductor
supernatural supermarket
superlative superior supremacy superfluous
survived superpower
suppurating superstitious superficial
supporting
supervisors superstructures superintendents
suppressing
supine supplicants supposed to supply supersonic suppers
supplanted by surrogate supple supporters without supplements
surpassing surface of surely suspicious surnames
surrounded by
surprise surveillances
surgery sutures
surreal surrenders.
Originally posted in Italian on March 9, 2008 at 1:03
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