Boyne Readings : Italian Night

'There are not enough tongues in the world for poetry, not enough voices, not enough words, not enough languages' Dave Lordan says in his introduction to the POETHREE new Italian voices collection with poems in Italian and their translations, mostly by Dave.

The three poets featured in the book were our guests at the Boyne Readings last evening at what was one of the most enjoyable and memorable of these nights.

MC Paddy Smith excelled himself with a wonderful (I think) introduction and welcome in Italian.
Dave Lordan read a translation followed by each poet reading the original in Italian.

As Dave said it was wonderful to listen to the sound of the Italian poetry, who cares what it means!

But thanks to the translations we did know what it meant and the audience was entranced by the variety - the love poems of Luca Artoli, Fabio Barcellandi's meditations on belief, good and evil and the word and the latex poems by Andrea Garbin.

Then an open mic and we were all at pains to put on a good show and as well share our own memories and impressions of various holidays in Italy. I read my Asking for Directions poem that begins
Even in Florence they asked me for directions
To the Ponte Vecchio as it happened . . .

The tour continues tonight in Galway at the Summer Writers' Extravagana, at 8p, Saturday evening at the Castle Bar in Derry at 9pm, and at Ó Bheál in Cork on Monday next 27 June. Go see and hear them if you can!