The Importance of Not Being Arcovazzi

Don Quixote The knight of immortal youth at the age of fifty found his mind in his heart and on July morning went out to capture the right, the beautiful, the just. Facing him a world of silly and arrogant giants, he on his sad but brave Rocinante. I know what it means to be longing for something, but if your heart weighs only a pound and sixteen ounces, there’s no sense, my Don, in fighting these senseless windmills. But you are right, of course, Dulcinea is your woman, the most beautiful in the world; I'm sure you'll shout this fact at the face of street-traders; but they'll pull you down from your horse and beat you up. But you, the unbeatable knight of our curse, will continue to glow behind the heavy iron visor and Dulcinea will become even more beautiful. Nâzım Hikmet

Pablo Picasso, Don Quixote, 1955

Through the eyes of a dolphin

Su un viaggio Apriamo le porte chiudiamo le porte passiamo le porte e alla mèta dell’unico viaggio          né città                  né porto. Il treno deraglia la nave naufraga l’aereo s’abbatte un biglietto è stampato sul ghiaccio.          Se potessi                  ricominciare o no questo viaggio                           ricomincerei. This Journey We open doors, close doors, pass through doors, and reach at the end of our only journey                                                 no city,                                                 no harbor. The train derails, the ship sinks the plane crashes. The map is drawn on ice. But if I could        begin this journey all over again,                                                I would. Nâzım Hikmet

Italian translation by Joyce Lussu & Velso Mucci
English translation by Randy Blasing & Mutlu Konuk

Artwork © TastesLikeAnya

The Third-Class Carriage

Great Humanity Great humanity sails on ships as deck passengers rides trains third-class travels highways on foot Great humanity goes to work at the age of eight marries at twenty dies at forty: great humanity. There is enough bread for everyone except great humanity rice too same with sugar and cloth books as well there is enough of them for all except great humanity. There is no shadow on the ground of great humanity no lamps in its streets no pane in its windows But great humanity has its hopes there can be no life without hope. Nâzım Hikmet English translation by Talât Sait Halma

Screengrab from the film Titanic. As maybe you know, third class passengers were left to drown, because there were not enough life boats.

“I shall not find a Ginette again”

In 1951 John Fowles was an assistant teacher at Poitiers University when he fell seriously in love for the first time. More than 60 years on, Mike Abbott meets the student he fell for and uncovers the unpublished poem he wrote for her. [Read more].

• Mike Abbott, From John Fowles with love: how the author’s first true romance and lost poem came to light, The Guardian, August 1, 2015

“Sitting about in a cafe most of the day. People bore me profoundly and desperately” ... (John Robert Fowles). Photo: The Guardian.

La jaula de oro

La bella gabbia non nutre l’uccello. A beautiful cage does not feed the bird. Tuscan proverb