This blog is a tribute to Carlo. A renowned radiologist in Central Italy, Dr Carlo Amodio lost his life to Covid-19 at age 71 in early April 2020. He continued to faithfully serve his patients to the end. His daughter Michela Carbonari is an Adagio friend and creator of beautiful, slow travel programs in the Marche region of Italy.

A dear friend of Carlo wrote the poem below on June 1, 2020. That would have been his 72nd birthday. The translation is my own. For correct viewing, please be sure you do NOT view this blog in Google translate (which removes the Italian poem entirely).

Addio Carlo                                      Goodbye Carlo

Sei volato su nuvole bianche,      You’ve flown away on white clouds

in una giornata di sole d’aprile,   on a sunny April day

nella primavera che amavi.          In the springtime that you so loved.

Sei andato via lasciando                You went away leaving

semplici ricordi,                               simple memories

senza parole,                                    without words

che a volte non servono,              which sometimes aren’t worth a thing.

ma manca la tua voce festosa.    I miss your merry voice.

È quasi arrivata l’estate,                Summer’s almost here,

potevamo dire la nostra e            we could have had our say and

ridere di tanti fatti,                        laughed at many facts,

ascoltare una diagnosi                   interpreted a diagnosis

perché ciò ti piaceva,                     because you liked that,

un esame con strumenti                an examination with the

da collezione, a volte                     latest instruments, sometimes with

con risposte infauste,                    ominous outcomes that you

che spiegavi con occhi tristi,   explained with sad, sincere eyes.             

sinceri, avresti detto la tua           You would have had your say

su questo malanno perché           about this disease because

i mali estremi li guardavi negli     you looked extreme illnesses

occhi!                                                             right in the eye! We would have

Avremmo voluto dirti come stai?              wanted to say “how are you”?

Avremmo voluto dirti forza amico!           We would have wanted to say

“strength, our friend”!

Ripercorrere con te gli ultimi                      Retrace with you the final

giorni, il miracolo della consolazione,      days, the miracle of consolation,

davanti all’addio.                                           before the final departure.

Ora il nostro saluto è stato                          Now our goodbye is huge

grande perché ricambia                              because it shines with

la generosità operosa della                         the living generosity of

tua vita, se avessimo potuto                       your life; if we could have,

saremmo stati in tanti a                               there would have been so many of

stringere la tua mano.                                  us to hold your hand.

Poet Antonino Barrasso, Fano, Italy — June 1, 2020

Translation by Claudia Reynolds Harris