Khorakhané [A forza di essere vento] [English translation]

The hearbeats slow down, the head walks on

in that poddle of piss and concrete

in that field blown by the wind

by dint of being the wind

I bear the name of all baptisms

each name the seal of a pass

for a ford, a country, a cloud, a song

a diamond hidden in bread

but for one humour in blood so sweet

for the same reason to travel, travelling

The heartbeats slow down, the head walks on

in the dark of forlorn swings

some gypsies stopped and became Italian

like copper hung to get brown on a wall

Being able to read the book of the world

with everchanging words and no writing

on the narrow paths in the palm of a hand

those frightening secrets

until a man meets you and won't know himself anymore

and every country lights up and peace surrenders

Sons would fall from the calendar

Yugoslavia, Poland, Hungary

soldiers would take them all

and all they threw away

And then Mirka at St. Georges in May *

between the flowers flames, with laughs and drinks

a relief in tears flooding the eyes

and from the eyes falling down

Now rise you childbrides

the time has come to go

blue veins on your wrists

another day for begging

And if this means stealing

a scanty bread out of poverty and misfortunes

on the mirror of this kampina **

to my eyes, clear as a farewell

that can only tell who's got in his mouth

God's point of view

Čvava sero po tute

i kerava

jek sano ot mori

i taha jek jak kon kašta

vašu ti baro nebo

avi ker.

kon ovla so mutavla

kon ovla

ovla kon aščovi

me ğava palan ladi

me ğava

palan bura ot croiuti.

[I'll lay my head on your shoulder

and I will

dream of the sea

and tomorrow a wood fire

so that the light blue air

become home

Who'll be there to tell

who'll be

it'll be who stays on

I'll follow this migration

I'll follow

this wings stream]

* Gypsies' holiday, on the 6th of May

** kampina: mobile tent

• Artist:Fabrizio De André
• Album:Anime salve (1996)