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.]

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.

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.