In the ending we kindly desire,
The conclusion we humbly request,
Love be thwarted, Thou Bard, the Muse wills it-
Do believe me, it's all for the best.
For if in passion received you should flourish,
Or Thy affection find its return,
All my best, but where's our "Vita Nuova?"
Or our "Ode on a Graecian Urn?"
If Laura had been more obliging,
Our Petrarch, in elation undone,
Left unpolished his "Canzoniere;"
Such the prize we should lose, his being won.
Had Beatrice been more giving with Dante-
Ah, behold the delight that it mars!
Would he trade for her love that far greater,
"That Moveth the Sun and the Stars?"
Had Keats gotten farther with Fanny-
Had consumption not cancelled his breath,
Hyperion's author were tarnished, though by half
Less "In love with easeful death."
Their passions have all been diminished;
Yeats', I believe, is far Gonne;
Ianthe, Leonetta- where were they, but for
Their Patronage that ever lives on?
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5 comments:
This was a good poem. I am planning on being in Moscow for Memorial Day weekend too.
Biby-
Do appreciate it. Good to know people are reading.
Justin-
Great to hear from you, man. If you want to get together, email me at bank0731@uidaho.edu. It'd be great to have coffee.
Hey chief,
You should check out "Astrophil and Stella" by Sir Philip Sidney. These are good sonnets which deal with the same theme.
I found my list of mixed-up phrases in Russian and posted a translation/adaptation of some of them here. It's under "A Post That Will Not Be Funny at All Unless..."
-Jeff
Thanks, James-
Actually have read that sequence. And yes, enjoyed it very much.
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