MAJURE

'A gente d' 'a Costa
- cierta gente d' 'a Costa,
ma vì' che fetiente! - diceva:
Majure! Tu siéntete 'a messa
e po' fuje.
I' rispunneve: no, no,
nun è overo.
Tu viene e te 'ncante.

Te 'ncanta 'sto mare
ca cònnola 'e varche
int' 'o puorto
- llà, sott' 'o castiello affatato -
e allisce 'sti prete
'e marina
addò pare ca dòrmene,
ma pigliano 'a luce d' 'o sole,
ddoje belle guaglione
ca cercano ammore.

Tu viene e te 'ncanta
chist'addore 'e limone
ca se spanne pe' ll'aria:
so' 'e limone 'e Majure
- d' 'a Bbazzìa,
d' 'o Castiello, 'e san Vito -,
'e cchiù belle d' 'o munno,
'e cchiù ffine.

E si 'a sera te miette
a sentì' 'a voce d' 'o mare,
tu te scuorde d' 'e guaie.
Te stienne int' 'a rena
e t'adduorme,
'ntramente ca 'a luna
'a 'ncopp' 'a Vvucàta s'affaccia
e te molla nu vaso.

Sigismondo Nastri*

Sigismondo Nastri, journalist, writer and professor, lover of the Amalfi coast and active participant in the cultural life of the Divine coast.

PROSE TRANSLATION
Maiori enchants you with its beautiful sea, rocking the boats moored in the picturesque harbour, watched over by the impressive castle. The same sea that smoothes the stones of the beach where two young women sunbathing. But Maiori also enchants for its fresh air and the characteristic scent of its famous lemons. And if you fall asleep on the beach at night, listening to the sweet sound of the waves, suddenly you forget all your worries while the moon, coming from the mountain (where the Sanctuary of Madonna Avvocata is located), send you a kiss.