The school fellow that writes a love note signing it Francesco, future Padre Pio, means only to joke. This will cost a lot to the dear Francesco who anyway, just doing this, reveals his vocation to pay for other people.

THE JOKE

“I love you so much”.

It caused a lot of troubles!

The parish priest and the teacher

declare him a scoundrel.

But Francesco isn’t guilty.


His classmates

roll with laughter.

At school and in the street

it’s a continuous burlesque.

The innocent is hopeless.


Even if broken out like a mushroom

this joke lasts a long time.

At last the remorse

does its course in the guilty boy

and he confesses in the presence of everybody.


Examined that note,

it was clear

that it wasn’t Francesco’s

arabesque signature.

You, Francesco, don’t you accuse him?


His answer was wonderful:

“I wanted to take the blame

upon myself

to save the others.”

You are already a surety!


Translated by Marilisa Cannarsa

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