Sunday, September 12, 2010








Laguna Beach, California (Sapphics)
Rough Draft

lītorī crēdunt decus aureumque
līquidumque undae; reboat (u _ _)
cautes immōtusque repellit agmen
vīgil aquārum.

Lūna scintillīs nitidīs corusca
caerulum spargit pelagus, fragōsa
saxa; corda et Pacificī serēnant
anxia ventī.

To the shores the waves endow
their golden, flowing trust.
The serene cliff re-echoes, and repels
the onward march of waters,
unmoving watch.

The moon - look! - sprinkles the
azure gulf, the rugged cliffs
with glittering pin-pricks
of light...






Laguna Beach, California (Sapphics)

lītorī crēdunt decus aureumque
līquidumque undae; reboat serēnus
cautes immōtusque repellit agmen
vīgil aquārum.

Lūna scintillīs - vide! - jam coruscīs
caerulum spargit pelagus, fragōsa
saxa; [convīvarum hilarī taberna est
plēna corōnā.]

To the shores the waves endow
their golden, flowing trust.
The serene cliff re-echoes, and repels
the onward march of waters,
unmoving watch.

The moon - look! - sprinkles the
azure gulf, the rugged cliffs
with glittering pin-pricks
of light. [The bar is packed with
a cheerful throng of merrymakers.]

Tuesday, September 07, 2010

Fragment

Hīc 'nova nupta, iō!' clāmārant laeta iuventae
turba atque aerea tum Sancta Marīa canit
Tum placet hūc nōbīs - foedera firma - redīre
'dēserere est thalamum fās sine amōre meum,'
haec tua tum dicta et potuit convīvium alacre
audīrī procul et carmina canta tibi.
coniunx et celebrat, celebrat iūcunda corōna
quamquam et stant longē, nostra susūrra placent!

Here the happy throng of youth
had shouted 'hurray for the new bride!'
Then Saint Mary sings her songs of bronze.
Then does it please us to return here -
a firm pact - then these were your words:
'It's right to desert my marriage bed
without love as it is.' Then the lively
festivities, and the songs sung for you
could be heard from afar, and your husband
celebrates, and the merry multitude.
And though they stand far off, nonetheless
our whispers please us.

Monday, September 06, 2010




St. Mary's Bells (Take One)
(inspired by Jacques Brel, "Je ne sais pas")


Alta suōs ulmus, fāgī et posuēre colōrēs
sōlus apud callem tē maneō solitum.
Clangōrēs, mea amāta, Marīam ēmittere Sanctam
audiō et exspectō; tempus abīre premit!
convēnit nōbīs cum Plīada (mense Novembrī)
vīdimus in summō - hūc rediisse - polō.
At ventī quīdam sonitus crispantia flantis
fōlia; cornīcis vox et acūta monent:
Lītora tē nāvī procul hinc illō comitante
Mīra petītūram; excēdere amōre novō.

The tall elm and the beech
have set aside their colors.
I await you alone, by the accustomed path.
Saint Mary sounds her brazen bells:
I listen and watch out for you.
The time to depart presses (upon us)!
We agreed to return here, when saw the Pleiads
at the sky's summit.
And yet a certain sound - of the wind
blowing the trembling leaves; that,
and the crow's sharp cry advise me:
that you aim to reach strange shores
with him as your companion,
that you depart with new love.