Ciascuno cresce solo se sognato
C’è chi insegna
guidando gli altri come cavalli
passo per passo:
forse c’è chi si sente soddisfatto
così guidato.
C’è chi insegna lodando
quanto trova di buono e divertendo:
c’è pure chi si sente soddisfatto
essendo incoraggiato.
C’è pure chi educa, senza nascondere
l’assurdo ch’è nel mondo, aperto ad ogni
sviluppo ma cercando
d’essere franco all’altro come a sé,
sognando gli altri come ora non sono:
ciascuno cresce solo se sognato.
(Danilo Dolci, from Il limone lunare: poema per la radio dei poveri, 1970)
Each Person Grows Only If Dreamed
There are those who teach
by leading others like horses,
step by step:
perhaps some feel satisfied
being guided this way.
There are those who teach by praising
what they find good and entertaining:
some may feel satisfied,
being encouraged.
And then there are those who educate,
without hiding the absurdity of the world,
open to every possibility, yet striving
to be honest with others as with themselves,
dreaming of others as they are not yet:
each person grows only if dreamed.
Danilo Dolci (1924–1997) was an Italian poet, educator, and activist, often called the “Gandhi of Sicily” for his commitment to nonviolent resistance and grassroots social change.
His work in Sicily, where he fought against poverty, social injustice, and the Mafia’s influence, was deeply rooted in participatory democracy and community-driven activism.
Dolci’s approach to education rejected authoritarian and prescriptive teaching methods in favor of a model that fostered critical thinking, creativity, and personal growth.
His poetry reflects this philosophy, particularly the belief that education is not about dictating knowledge, but about envisioning and nurturing human potential.
Dreaming as Resistance
By dedicating this final article of Issue 9 to Dolci’s poetry, we invite readers to embrace a radical perspective: dreaming is not a passive escape, but an essential act of resistance.
When we dream of new possibilities—be it in education, politics, or social justice—we refuse to accept the world as it is. Instead, we insist on what it could become.
As we close this issue, Dolci’s words remain a reminder that growth is not imposed, it is imagined into being.