As when above parched fields the compassionate
Moon suspended, floods the summer dew with light,
Murmurs the flowing stream, the ripples scintillate,
Reflecting as they run the radiance white.
The unseen nightingale hid 'mid the leaves of night.
Fills the vast calm with melodies passionate,
The traveller listens, and remembers the bright
Locks of his love, nor knows the hour is late.
And the desolate mother, who has wept fruitless tears.
Lifts from the grave her gaze to the shining skies,
And that still whiteness calms her misery.
Smiling the face of the hills and the distant sea appears,
And through the mighty trees the fresh breeze sighs,
Such, O divinest poet, such thy verse to me.
Giosuè Carducci (1835 - 1907) Italy
Translated by Lois Saunders
Source: Strangers and foreigners being translations from the French, Italian, German and Middle High German: done into English verse by Lois Saunders, Elkin Mathews, 1912
No comments:
Post a Comment
Please keep your comments relevant and free from abusive language. Thank you. Note that comments are moderated so it may be a day or two before your comment is posted - irrelevant or abusive comments will not be published.