Padova, 2014
Robin Danzak
I
arrive in rain.
Move
in too fast.
I
know one person in this city, and I just met her today.
There’s
also the very polite doorman downstairs,
Who
calls me “Lei” and speaks extra slowly, carefully.
I
understand, I tell him.
Io
capisco.
He
gives me an umbrella.
Misa,
messa, masa.
Sant’Antonio
di Padova.
Venezia
in Carnevale.
I
walk...
Smells
like espresso, brioche, fiori, grana padano, biciclette, pomodori.
The
must of churches erected in 1300, the University 1222.
The
birth of human anatomy.
Olive,
rucola, radicchio, finocchio.
At
the university,
I
get a key, a card, an empty office that says, “Visiting Researcher”.
The
feeling of being temporary.
Closed
doors.
I
work...
At
high schools,
I
meet teachers, students in their universal teenage sulk,
Smoking
and riding Vespas,
Giggling
at my strange words.
The
language inside my head does not match
The
language inside my mouth.
I
walk...
Sant’Antonio,
Santa Giustina, Santa Sofia, San Lorenzo.
Orto
Botanico, Prato Della Valle, Piazze della Fruta, delle Erbe, dei Signori.
In
the blink of an eye, three new friends!
One
lives upstairs,
I
knock on her door, looking for missing things.
She
is a scientist, a researcher, a foreigner like me.
We
become sisters, sharing evening tea and gelato.
We
walk...
Two
others I find at a conference,
Tutto
in italiano.
They
make ceramics, teach immigrant kids, counsel women victims of trafficking.
We
become travel companions, amiche dal cuore.
Gnocchi, orecchiette, tortoloni, ravioli.
Trofie
con pesto.
Cammino...
Verona,
Venezia, Murano, Burano.
My
husband arrives!
Caldaro.
Easter,
Wine, Love.
Varenna.
Lago
di Como.
Bello
bello bellissimo.
Cioccolato, pizza napoletana, più gelato.
Trains and busses.
We walk...
My
husband leaves.
Back
to work.
The
machista guy at the fruit shop, the old lady at the housewares shop, the
same doorman who answers all my questions.
Albicocche, spinaci, arrance rosse e bionde.
I write...
The cantor at church, the little girl and her black cat, the
Sicilian grandma who teaches me passato remoto.
Misa, messa, masa.
Sant’Antonio di Padova.
Venezia, Bologna, un weekend a Londra,
Tutto in italiano.
The students are used to seeing me now.
Tutto va bene. Sto bene, starò bene.
Conosco alcuni amici.
Finisce la ricerca.
Adesso capisco quasi tutto.
Posso dire quasi tutto.
I am happy here.
It’s
time to say goodbye.
