Frankfurt. Our friend and colleague is still in jail. He will be tried in June, with the risk of serving a two-year sentence. But he continues to write, to cheer himself up and communicate us his feelings. Here are some more of his verses, composed in cell [Skip to italian version]
— Translated by Emilia Melossi
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To the grand ball with freedom
— by Federico Annibale
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I can come by anytime beautiful freedom
I can come get you when you want.
But – no carriages, no cars:
we will go by bike.
We will pedal and taste the streets together,
the people, the dogs, the buildings, the beer, your gorgeous shape.
What do you look like? How do you show yourself?
Who knows! You are different for each one of us.
We will get to the grand ball by bike.
Yes, I know, it’s a stuffy word.
A bit out of place, actually.
But let me offer you a beer before we go in.
Can you feel the alcohol rising? What a smile….
Oh, my God, you’re such a shameless beauty.
Let’s go in, come on. We are invited.
Look at all the people. They are laughing: teeth, lips,hair.
Too many, in fact, too many. And so we leave.
Wherever you want to go is fine.
So we hop on our bikes. And pedal, pedal
For days, years, centuries.
But everything comes to an end, even our bike ride.
Wehave reached the end of the world, the edge of the precipice.
And we sit down, dangling our legs over absolute emptiness.
It’s beautiful here and it’s just you and me.
Do you love me? Me too actually.
Let’s kiss. It’s sogreat.
The heart bursts, breaking through the rib cage and throws itself into thevoid.
Now we can go back. My suffering is over.
Thanks.
My stay here, apathetic and rough, will have no more pain.
Thank you freedom, you have freed me.
