Another Romanaccio sonnet about “The New Pope” by G.G. Belli (1832)

The 19th c. poet Giuseppe Gioachino Belli… Er Belli. He wrote satirical sonnets in the Roman dialect about life in Rome and took deadly aim at Rome’s priests, religious, prelates and popes.   The speakers in the poems are shop keepers and artisans, ordinary people, talking about the the high and mighty they see.

This was back in the day when Popes got around in town, walking or with a carriage, etc., and lived at the Quirinale.

Here’s one about a brand new Pope!

ER PAPA NOVO

Stavo ggiusto ar pilastro der cancello
Der cuartiere a cciarlà cco lo scozzone,
In ner mentre smuronno er finestrone,
E sbusciò er Cardinale cor cartello.

E io sò stato stammatina cuello
Ch’è entrato er primo drento in ner portone
Cuanno er Papa saliva in carrozzone,
E l’ho arivisto poi sott’a Ccastello.

Poi sò ccurzo a Ssampietro; ma le ggente
Eremo tante in chiesa, bbuggiaralle,
Che de funzione nun ne so ddì ggnente.

In cuanto sia portallo su le spalle
L’ho vvisto, ma vvolevo puramente
Vedé ccome je bbrusceno le palle.

Roma, 26 novembre 1832

Thanks to The Great Roman™ you get a great taste of the Roman dialect.

I was just standing at the gate post
of the neighborhood chatting with the horse breeder,
while they unbrick the big window,
and the Cardinal came out with the sign.

And I was the one this morning
who first entered the gate
when the Pope got into the big carriage,
and I saw him again later under the Castle.

Then I ran to St. Peter’s; but there were so many people
in the church, **** them, that I know nothing about the liturgy.
I saw how much it is to carry him on shoulders,
but I really wanted to see how the fluff balls burned.

That last part is a reference to the Sedia Gestatoria and the custom of burning fluff to remind the new Pope of the passing vanity of this world, sic transit gloria mundi.