Senti sto fatto. Un giorno de st'istate <br />Lavoravo ar convento de Genzano, <br />E ssentivo de sopra ch'er guardiano <br />Tirava giù biastime a carrettate; <br /> <br />Perché, essenno le gente aridunate <br />Per cantà la novena a ssan Cazziano, <br />Cerca qua, chiama là, quer zagristano <br />Drento a le celle nun trovava un frate. <br /> <br />Era vicino a notte, e un pispillorio <br />Già se sentiva in de la chiesa piena, <br />Quanno senti che ffa ppadre Grigorio. <br /> <br />Curze a intoccà la tevola de cena, <br />E appena che fu empito er refettorio <br />Disse: "Alò, frati porchi, a la novena!". <br /> <br /> <br />English <br /> <br />Listen to this story. During last summer one day <br />I was working at the monastery in Genzano [1] , <br />When I heard upstairs the sacristan <br />Swearing like a trooper. <br /> <br />Because while the people had gathered <br />To sing the novena [2] for St.Cassian, <br />The sacristan, looking for the friars high and low, <br />Could not find any of them in their rooms. <br /> <br />Night was approaching, and a whispering <br />Already came from the crowded church, <br />So listen what Father Gregory did. <br /> <br />He ran to sound the dinner bell <br />And as soon as the refectory was full <br />Said: "Hurry up, lousy friars, to the novena!"<br /><br />Giuseppe Gioacchino Belli<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/li-frati-d-un-paese-the-friers-of-the-village/
