O PATRIA MIA - O MY MOTHERLAND

Remembering My Dad

Written By Susan M. Valvo

http://susan-myjourney.blogspot.com/

My Father was a man that loved his Motherland. He was born in Messina in 1925 and from infancy was raised in Cinquefrondi, Reggio Calabria. He studied medicine and came to the United States...he left behind his parents his brother and his Motherland. He met and married my Mother and they lived in New Jersey and raised my brother and I. My father always instilled in me a deep and profound love for the Motherland that oozes from our veins. Aside from being an extremely skilled physician, my Father loved to write his thoughts and feeling on paper. I wonder what he would have done if he had the pleasure of living long enough to have his own blog!My Father passed away in 2002 at the age of 77. Among the many memories he left us is a powerful collection of his thoughts and feelings...on paper! I wanted to share one of his poems with you...I hope you enjoy it! I hope it moves you as it moves me!

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O Patria Mia

By Paolo D.Valvo M.D.

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Italia, O Patria Mia

Madre feconda di si’ nobile parole,

Il tuo desio m’assale

Se la vision di te mi torna al cuore.

Vedo I tuoi monti austeri,

Il mare accarezzar le dolci sponde,

I vasti piani e laboriosi campi

Dove perenne par che v’ondeggi il grano.

Dall’alpi alla trinacria

Dall’una all’altra sponda

D’insigne tua progenie

L’opra sublime annonda,

E l’ecodella Gloria

Di tua Romana gente

Nell’aere spande

Qual luce che risplende,

Ovunque l’occhio vaghi

Bella tu sei o cara patria mia,

Bella nel corpo e l’alma,

Si dolce, si’ desiata Madre Mia!

Potessi ancora mirare

L’azzurro del tuo mare…

O potess’io vagare

Ancor sulle tue sponde…

E poi ancor mirare

Le cupole tue belle…

Sentir le tue campane

Scoccar nel cielo al vespro!

O Paria Mia Diletta

Pottesse l’esser mio’

Esser da te

Nel tiepido calor del grembo tuo!

Da si’lontana sponda

Spesso al guardar m’indulgo

Di la’dell orizzonte…

Ed il pensier di te

Carezza l’alma mia…

Il sussurrar m’e’ d’uopo:

O Cara Patria Mia!

© 2008 SMVALVO