Why You Should Still Care About 'Bicycle Thieves,'' by A.O. Scott, on August 13, 2020 in the New York Times rekindled my pride. After the Second World War II in Italy, most people around us were also poor, and, as children, we captured unprecedented 'caring' in people's eyes.
There are distinct similarities between Vittorio DeSica's character, Antonio, in the film 'Ladri di Biciclette' and my father, Antonino. Lean and handsome, they both needed a bicycle to survive.
As a humble man, my father was fortunate enough not to have his bicycle stolen but was sufficiently stubborn to repair it repeatedly and ride it up and down the Peloritan Hills to go to work.
Now, I realize that like Antonio, in 'Bicycle Thieves,' my father was a split second away from losing his dignity. I know that sudden events can devastate our lives and bring humiliation.
The following poem captures my fellow humans' pain for survival. I hope that with work, they will never lose their dignity.
Bicycle Pride
You always arrived at dusk
And when you did not arrive
We waited for you in front of the mirror
In the bedroom
The night became darker and darker
Time became longer and longer
The rain became more and more stormy
Apprehension became more and more fear
You always came with a thought
And when you arrived
We saw you behind the mirror
Of the bedroom
The dark seemed more day
Time seemed more and more still
The rain seemed more and more joy
Fear seemed more and more peace
The bicycle took you
Up and down the mountains
The bike gave you work
More or less in the city
The bicycle was your
Will to live
You rode the bicycle
Like a toy
Down from the mountains
You flew with your bicycle
Like the wind
The bus was slow
You were quick
The pride
Always inside
Orgoglio di Biciclette
Arrivavi sempre all'imbrunire
E quando non arrivavi
Ti aspettavamo davanti allo specchio
Della stanza da letto
La notte si faceva sempre piu' buia
Il tempo si faceva sempre piu' lungo
La pioggia si faceva sempre piu' temporale
L' apprensione si faceva sempre piu' paura
Arrivavi sempre col pensiero
E quando arrivavi
Ti vedevamo dietro lo specchio
Della stanza da letto
Il buio sembrava piu' giorno
Il tempo sembrava sempre piu' fermo
La pioggia sembrava sempre piu' gioia
La paura sembrava sempre piu' pace
La bicicletta ti portava
Su e giu' dai monti
La bicicletta ti dava lavoro
Su per giu' in citta'
La bicicletta era la tua
Voglia di vivere
Cavalcavi la bicicletta
Come un giocattolo
Giu' dai monti
Volavi con la bicicletta
Come il vento
L'autobus era lento
Tu eri svelto
L'orgoglio
E' sempre dentro
