Madam, Lady Rose, lovely paradigm
of all blossoms Sun and Moon gaze upon:
why linger in your cradle, if you’re grown,
why fear human ravage, if you’re divine?
When wind blows cold on you, why do you pine?
why so humble before the whims of fortune?
begging for food from a muddy lagoon,
with its turbid humours, why do you whine?
I well know you’ll say to me that you deplore
the way I disrespect you with my bad prose.
Truth is, I have found this a difficult chore;
your worshipful ladyship should know, Madam Rose,
that I write to you one sonnet and no more,
just because it’s a scratch every scribbler owes.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651 - 1695) Mexico
Translated by Enriqueta Carrington
Source: The New Formalist
of all blossoms Sun and Moon gaze upon:
why linger in your cradle, if you’re grown,
why fear human ravage, if you’re divine?
When wind blows cold on you, why do you pine?
why so humble before the whims of fortune?
begging for food from a muddy lagoon,
with its turbid humours, why do you whine?
I well know you’ll say to me that you deplore
the way I disrespect you with my bad prose.
Truth is, I have found this a difficult chore;
your worshipful ladyship should know, Madam Rose,
that I write to you one sonnet and no more,
just because it’s a scratch every scribbler owes.
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz (1651 - 1695) Mexico
Translated by Enriqueta Carrington
Source: The New Formalist
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comments are moderated so it may be a day or two before your comment is posted - irrelevant or abusive comments will not be published.