Sbaglio morale

Ora che mi hai persa,
ora che non ci sono più,
forse comprendi davvero
cosa vuol dire amare.

Ero giovane, bella,
e tu dovevi essere
il mio cuore, la mia casa.

Come vuoi che te lo dica?
Ora sei solo un ricordo lontano,
sbiadito, come le promesse mancate.

La colpa?
Del tuo carattere,
delle tue parole taglienti,
delle ferite che hai lasciato
sulla mia anima.

Questo mio cuore sincero,
non ti ha mai mentito.
Ha amato, ha creduto.
E tu?
Tu hai distrutto ciò che avevo donato.

Provavi a rimediare,
ma ci sono errori
che il perdono non può sfiorare.
Hai seminato il male,
e ora raccogli il vuoto.

Sì, mi hai tradita.
E scusami se te lo dico così,
ma amaramente ho capito
che fidarmi di te
non potevo più.
E questo me l’hai insegnato tu.

Lasciare un amore non è una sciocchezza,
lasci il cuore con
un mar di amarezza.
In un istante lo fai affondare
in un dolore
che non riesce a marginare.

Zaira Sellerio

Moral mistake

Now that you have lost me,
now that I am no longer there
perhaps you really understand
what it means to love.

I was young, beautiful,
and you were to be
my heart, my home.

How do you want me to tell you?
Now you’re just a distant memory,
Faded, like broken promises.

The fault?
Your temper,
of your sharp words,
Of the wounds you left
On my soul

This sincere heart of mine
has never lied to you.
It has loved, it has believed.
And you?
You destroyed what I had given.

You tried to make up for it,
but there are mistakes
that forgiveness cannot touch.
You sowed evil,
and now you reap the void.

Yes, you betrayed me.
And forgive me for saying so,
but I bitterly realise
that trusting you
could no longer be trusted.
And this you taught me.

Leaving a love is no trifle,
you leave the heart with
a sea of bitterness.
In an instant you sink it
in a pain
that it cannot marginalize.

Zaira Sellerio

Review

‘Moral mistake’ is an intense, sincere and poignant poem that delicately but unfiltered recounts the end of a love wounded by betrayal. The author, with simple but deeply emotional words, takes us on a journey into disappointment and awareness, where the heart speaks with a firm and mournful voice.

The text is a subdued but powerful cry: it reminds us that other people’s feelings are not a game, and that love deserves respect, care and truth. Betraying those who have given you trust and sincere love is a deep guilt, a ‘Moral mistake’ that leaves indelible marks.

The poem is a universal reflection and teaches us that an apology is sometimes not enough to repair the damage, and that hurting those who love us can turn a precious bond into a bitter and distant memory.

The ending, closes the text with a truth that is as simple as it is devastating: leaving a love is not a trifle, because the heart, once wounded, sinks into a pain that is difficult to fill.

A poem that strikes and makes one reflect. Because love is not only sentiment: it is also responsibility.

Il cucchiaio di legno – The wooden spoon

Some awards for her work

• National Poetry Award “Arturo Massimi” in October 1999 in Mentana – Rome.
• Plaque for the Narrative Award at the International Competition “Pelosa” in Messina, November 2000.
• Poetry Plaque in October 2000 awarded by the Province of Rome.
• International Competition “Antonio de Curtis” in Rome.
• Poets and Society Award, Swiss German Delegation (international competition, honorable mention).
• Unpublished Poetry Award, 5th Edition of the “Premio/l’attualità – Bartolucci”, finalist diploma, October 27, 2001.
• International Artistic-Literary Competition, Antonio de Curtis “Totò”, Rome, October 22, 2002.
• ALIAS (Academy of Italian-Australian Literature and Writers, in collaboration with C.R.A.S.E.S. in Palermo).
• International Literary Competition, 3rd Prize ex aequo for Poetry, October 10, 2003.
• First Poetry Prize at the Gallery “Il Salotto dell’Arte”, Rome, March 22, 2009.
• “Premio Una Vita per la Cultura”, Galleria Salotto dell’Arte, Rome.
• 2014 – IV International Literary Award Europe for the novel (Dal Profondo del Cuore) – May 11, 2014, Lugano.
• II Navarro Prize for the novel (Dal Profondo del Cuore), May 13, 2018, in Sambuca di Sicilia, Sicily.
• Special Award “Lilly Broggi – La Pergola Arte” for the novel (Dal Profondo del Cuore), Florence, October 27, 2018.
• V Prize for the novel (Dal Profondo del Cuore) at Versilia Club’s “Massa Città Fiabesca di Mare e di Marmo”, September 28, 2019.
• 1st International Prize dedicated to the feminine universe “Donne d’Amore” V. Barrett, Poetry Section (Sui Gradini di Piazza di Spagna).
• 1st Prize for the Literature – Novel category for the work (Il Coraggio è Femmina), Rome, May 22, 2023.
• Poetry Award “Ai Tuoi Piedi” in the city of Mercogliano (AV) for the poem (E là incontrai mia Madre), September 8, 2024.
• XI Edition SAN VALENTINO AWARD – City of Atripalda (AV) – Cupid Award World Wide Section – for the poem ‘Ich habe dich geliebt’ (I loved you) 26-27 April 2025