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Though thou dost scorn thyself, maybe
Another hath thee dear!" I sigh
And wonder whether verily

This may befall, and how and why.
I tarry where I shelter find
Of mountain-top or tall pine-tree,
And paint her image with my mind
On the first pebble that I see;

Then, when my straying wits come back,
I beat my tear-drenched breast and say:
"Unhappy heart, what dost thou lack,
And whither would'st thou wend thy way?"
But though in self-forgetfulness

This primal thought my wandering mind
Alone doth serve with faithfulness,

Yet Love my soul hath so entwined
That I am happy in my woe;
Her myriad charms enthrall my eyes;
If it should be for ever so

I would not have it otherwise.

My Lady's features I have seen,
So let him credence give who may,
In waters clear and meadows green
No less than in a beechen spray,
Within a cloud so snowy white,
Beside her Leda's child would seem
A star that paleth in the light,

The sun hath kindled with his beam.
Where desolate my dwelling-place,

Upon a bleak, forsaken coast,

There doth my spirit sweetly trace

Her beauty and exalt it most;

Then, numb with grief, when fancy flies
Away before the face of truth,

me freddo, pietra morta in pietra viva, in guisa d' uom che pensi e pianga e scriva.

Ove d'altra montagna ombra non tocchi, verso 'l maggiore e 'l più espedito giogo, tirar mi suol un desiderio intenso :

indi i miei danni a misurar con gli occhi
comincio, e 'ntanto lagrimando sfogo
di dolorosa nebbia il cor condenso,
allor ch'i' miro e penso

quant' aria dal bel viso mi diparte,
che sempre m' è sì presso e sì lontano.
Poscia fra me pian piano :

"Che fai tu lasso? forse in quella parte
or di tua lontananza si sospira ";
et in questo penser l' alma respira.
Canzone, oltra quell' alpe,

là dove il ciel è più sereno e lieto,
mi rivedrai sovr' un ruscel corrente,

ove l' aura si sente

d'un fresco et odorifero laureto.

Ivi è 'l mio cor, e quella che 'l m' invola; qui veder pòi l' imagine mia sola.

As dead stone from a stone I rise
And think and write and weep for ruth.
To heights whereon no shadows fall,
To mighty and enduring chains,
My passionate desire doth call,
And I begin to count my pains :
My tears the doleful mists dispel
From my full heart, and musingly
I mark the place where she doth dwell
Who is so near though far from me.
"O weary heart, why dost thou stray?"
So falters hope with gentleness,
"Maybe when thou art far away
One sigheth for thee in distress!"
This thought such happiness doth bring,
My soul is freed from suffering.

Song of mine, beyond the hill,
Where the skies are soft and blue,
Resting by a flowering rill,

Thou shalt look on me anew;
Where fresh laurels scent the air,
With the heart she stole from me,

Tarrieth my Lady fair;
'Tis my spirit dwells in thee.

Q

UANTO più m' avvicino al giorno estremo che l' umana miseria suol far breve,

'più veggio 'l tempo andar veloce e leve, e 'l mio di lui sperar fallace e scemo.

I' dico a' miei pensier: "Non molto andremo d'amor parlando omai, che 'l duro e greve terreno incarco, come fresca neve,

si va struggendo, onde noi pace avremo :
perchè co' lui cadrà quella speranza,
che ne fe' vaneggiar sì lungamente,
e 'l riso e 'l pianto e la paura e l' ira.
Si vedrem chiaro poi come sovente
per le cose dubbiose altri s' avanza,
e come spesso indarno si sospira.”

Q

UEL vago impallidir, che 'l dolce riso
d' un' amorosa nebbia ricoperse,

con tanta maiestade al cor s' offerse,
che li si fece incontr' a mezzo 'l viso.
Conobbi allor si come in paradiso
vede l'un l'altro: in tal guisa s' aperse
quel pietoso penser, ch' altri non scerse,
ma vidil' io, ch' altrove non m' affiso.

Ogni angelica vista, ogni atto umile, che già mai in donna, ov' amor fosse, apparve, fôra uno sdegno a lato a quel ch' i' dico: chinava a terra il bel guardo gentile,

e tacendo dicea (com' a me parve):
"Chi m' allontana il mio fedele amico ? "

As

s I approach the last of all my days,

So brief by reason of its dower of pain,
Light-footed time speeds swiftly from my gaze
And faith in him proves profitless and vain.
Then to myself I say: "A little space

And we will sing no more at Love's behest,
Like snow these earthly chains will melt apace
And we be gathered peacefully to rest.

Since Love must pass away, even so must all
The dreams for which we bartered heaven and earth,
Our fears, our sorrows, and our boist'rous mirth ;
Then we shall know how oft it doth befall

That men strive after things of trivial worth,
And sigh for that which matters not at all."

HAT lovely pallor which soft smiles have striven
To mantle in a rosy veil of dew,

TH

With such high royalty to me was given,
My heart paid homage ere it wonder knew.
Then was revealed to me that we would bid
Each other welcome thus in Paradise ;
Her gracious thought was fashioned to be hid
From others, though apparent to my eyes.

All heavenly favours, every modest grace
E'er mirrored in beloved lady's face,

Were nought compared with this of which I tell ;
Downwards in silence her sweet glances fell,

And yet in them a meaning seemed to be:
"Why doth my faithful friend go forth from me?"

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