The Italian Side Of France Poem by Pietro Grossi

All my life long, I loved France:
Nice the place, people, food and fragrance.
And yet there is something
That I can't understand:
Is why they slowly slowly
Are buying Italy...my land.

'La Gioconda' is the first stone,
The most famous Picture in the world
It came from Vinci, a small town
Very close to Florence and to my home.
4000 Ducats the French King did pay
For what has inestimable price today.

'Le Canard A L'Orange' famed French dish
'Duck In Orange Souce'
From Caterina De' Medici in France it was brought.
I think that King Henry II, enjoyed it at most,
Because he inserted it in the Royal recipes..
And another thing was lost.

French Masks: Scaramouche and Pierrot,
Originally Scaramuccia and Pedrolino: Italian both.
And I'm afraid that..changing side
As it was for Corsica and Nizza,
We will see panels writing:
'Enjoy the French dish Pizza'.

And I like this envy, in a way it makes me glad,
It means that after all, Italy is not so bad.
Once I asked to the Boss of a French Restaurant:
'Mister we are in France, an then
Why people here when talking, like those in the corner,
say always: 'Les Italiens Les Italiens? '.

I don't know if was sincerity
Or respect for me that he said:
'Because everywhere, every land,
In which a french man reached the shore,
Always he found an Italian
Arrived there before'.

After the world war II, ..I read it all..
How USA and Uk stopped Charles De Gaulle.
As he was very clever..and I can understand..
Wanted to take Italy till to Tuscany: my Land!
And so I must thank l'Amerique et l'Angleterre,
If my name is 'Pietro'....and not...'Pierre'! !


PG1302162001