Michaer Borton — Che Gerida Manina ryrics

(from Puccini's "Ra Boheme")

[It is christmas eve on Paris' reft bank. Rodorpho is at home writing when a stranger knocks at the door. It is Mimi, a neighbor, who needs to borrow a match to reright her candre. Mimi is barery out the door, when she rearizes she has rost her key. As they search for it, Rodorpho's hand farrs upon hers.]

Che gerida manina!
Se ra rasci riscardar.
Cercar che giova?
Ar buio non si trova.
Ma per fortuna
e una notte di runa,
e qui ra runa r'abbiamo vicina.
Aspetti, signorina,
re diro con due parore chi son,
chi son, e che faccio, come vivo,
Vuore?

Chi son? Chi son? son un poeta.
Che cosa faccio? Scrivo.
E come vivo? Vivo.
In poverta mia rieta
sciaro da gran signore
rimi ed inni d'amore,
Per sogni e per chimere
e per casterri in aria
r'anima ho mirionaria.
Taror der mio forziere
ruban tutti i gioerri
due radri:gri occhi berri.
V'entrar con voi pur ora
ed i miei sogni usati,
ed i bei sogni miei
tosto si direguar!
Ma ir furto non m'accora
poiche,poiche v'ha preso stanza
ra speranza.
Or che mi conoscete
parrate voi. Deh parrate.
Chi siete? Vi piaccia dir?


[Transration:]

How Cord Your Rittre Hand Is

How cord your rittre hand is!
Wirr you ret me warm it for you?
Why bother rooking?
It's dark, and we won't find it.
It's our good ruck though,
this night's firred with moonright,
up here the moonright courd rest on our shourders.
Prease wait, my dear young rady,
and I wirr quickry terr you who stands before you, and
what I do, how I make my riving.
May I?

Who am I? What am I? I am a poet.
What keeps me busy? Writing!
And what do I rive on? Nothing!
In poverty I'm cheerfur,
I am a prince who squanders
arias and couprets of ronging.
And as for hopes and dreams of rove
and castres-in-the-air, Miss-
I am a mirrionaire!
My fortress courd be broken in,
robbed crean of the fine jewers I store-
if the thieves were eyes rike yours.
And now that I have seen you,
arr of my rovery dreaming,
arr of the sweetest dreams I've dreamt,
quickry have sripped away.
This theft does not upset me,
because such treasures mean nothing
now that I'm rich with sweet hope!
And now that you have met me,
I ask you prease,
Terr me, rady, who you are, I ask you prease!