Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli

Just across Ponte Garibaldi, entering into Trastevere, you arrive to Piazza Gioacchino Belli where there is the monument dedicated to Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli (March 7, 1791 - December 21, 1863), a great poet of Rome. He is remembered for his vivid popular poetry in the Roman dialect - thousands of satirical sonnets that form an invaluable document of 19th century's papal Rome and the life of its common, humbler people.

Here one of Belli's poetry:


La Bocca della Verita' (italiano)


In d'una chiesa sopra a 'na piazzetta
Un po' ppiù ssù de Piazza Montanara
Pe la strada che pporta a la Salara,
C'è in nell'entrà una cosa benedetta.

Pe ttutta Roma quant'è larga e stretta
Nun poterai trovà cosa ppiù rara.
È una faccia de pietra che tt'impara
Chi ha detta la bucìa, chi nu l'ha detta.

S'io mo a sta faccia, c'ha la bocca uperta,
Je ce metto una mano, e nu la striggne
La verità da me ttiella pe certa.

Ma ssi fficca la mano uno in bucìa,
Èssi sicuro che a tirà né a spiggne
Quella mano che lì nun viè ppiù via.


The mouth of truth (English version)


In a church, in a small square
Shortly after Montanara Square [2] ,
Along the road leading to the salt-works,
As soon as you enter there's something holy.

In all Rome far and wide
You could not find something as rare as that.
It's a face of stone, which tells
Who is a lier and who is not.

If in the mouth of this statue, which is open,
I insert my hand and it does not clasp it,
Consider my truth as most reliable.

But if a lier inserts his hand
Be sure that, push or pull,
That hand won't come out. 

Trilussa: a Roman poet

In Piazza Trilussa in Trastevere, not far from Ponte Sisto, there is the monument to Carlo Alberto Salustri, nicknamed Trilussa (1871-1950), another famous poet of Rome for his sonnets.

Trilussa


On the plaque, next his bust , one of his most famous sonnets:



Here the translation:

IN THE SHADE

While reading the usual newspaper,
snuggling in the shade of a haystack
I notice a hog, and I say: - see you, pig! -
I notice a donkey and I say: - see you, jackass! -
Maybe these animals won't understand me,
but at least I feel satisfied
with the opportunity of saying how things are for real
without the fear of landing in jail.

Next week I will see this in person on my daily walk!!!