Ti amavo

Nacqui dai tuoi occhi
il giorno quando ti incontrai,
mi innamorai.
Vivevo felice
finché il tuo sguardo mi seguiva
dovunque andassi,
qualunque cosa pensassi.
Eri sempre presente dentro di me
ti tenevo nel cuore.
I tuoi occhi mi davano la luce,
la luce dell’anima
che risplendeva sul mio sguardo
chiaro e felice.
Quei tuoi occhi non ci sono più.
La luce nell’anima si è spenta,
le tenebre sono tornate.
E adesso sto qui
schiava d’una rimembranza.
Zaira Sellerio

I loved you

I was born from your eyes

the day I met you,

I fell in love.

I lived happily

as long as your gaze followed me

wherever I went,

whatever I thought.

You were always present within me

I held you in my heart.

Your eyes gave me light,

the light of the soul

shining on my eyes

clear and happy.

Those eyes of yours are no longer there.

The light in my soul has gone out,

the darkness has returned.

And now I stand here

a slave of remembrance.

Zaira Sellerio

Review

Zaira Sellerio’s poem “Ti amavo” is an intense emotional journey through the experience of love and loss. With simple but deeply evocative verses, the author manages to convey the light and darkness that alternate in the human heart.

The poem opens with a powerful image: love is born from the eyes of the other, from a gaze that illuminates the poet’s life, giving it happiness and meaning. This gaze becomes a symbol of a constant and intimate presence, a beacon that guides the soul and illuminates the whole being.

However, this light is extinguished, leaving room for the darkness of nostalgia and sorrow. The melancholy over the absence of the beloved becomes palpable, making remembrance an emotional prison from which the heart struggles to free itself.

The style is essential, almost minimalist, but precisely in its simplicity lies the strength of the message. Sellerio uses clear and direct language, capable of reaching the reader with immediacy, without losing the depth of feeling.

‘Ti amavo’ received the prestigious Cupid Prize, Worldwide section, as part of the 11th Valentine’s Day Award, an event held in the picturesque town of Atripalda (AV), a city rich in history and traditions in the heart of Campania. This award underlines the ability of poetry to speak to the universality of love in all its nuances.

This poem speaks to anyone who has known the sweetness and suffering of love, making an intimate and personal experience universal. A delicate and poignant work that leaves an indelible mark on the soul.

Sbaglio morale – Moral mistake

Some awards for her works

• 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