Love Poems

Sonar bracchetti, e cacciatori aizzare

 

Sonar bracchetti, e cacciatori aizzare,

lepri levare, ed isgridar le genti,

e di guinzagli uscir veltri correnti,

per belle piagge volgere e imboccare,

 

assai credo che deggia dilettare                 5

libero core e van d’intendimenti!

Ed io, fra li amorosi pensamenti,

d’uno sono schernito in tale affare,

 

e dicemi esto motto per usanza:

“Or ecco leggiadria di gentil core,             10

per una sì selvaggia dilettanza

 

lasciar le donne e lor gaia sembianza!”

Allor, temendo non che senta Amore,

prendo vergogna, onde mi ven pesanza.

Risposta di Dante a ignoto rimatore

 

Com più vi fere Amor co’ suoi vincastri,

più li vi fate in ubidirlo presto,

ch’altro consiglio, ben lo vi protesto,

non vi si può gli dar: chi vuol, l’incastri.

 

Poi, quando fie stagion, coi dolci impiastri   5

farà stornarvi ogni tormento agresto,

ché ‘l mal d’Amor non è pesante il sesto

ver ch’è dolce lo ben. Dunque, ormai lastri

 

vostro cor lo cammin per seguitare

lo suo sommo poder, se v’ha sì punto       10

come dimostra ‘l vostro buon trovare;

 

e non vi disviate da lui punto,

ch’elli sol può tutt’allegrezza dare

e’ suoi servente meritare a punto.

Yelping of Dogs, and Hunters’ Rousing Shout

 

Yelping of dogs, and hunters’ rousing shout,

starting of hares, and yelling men around,

dashing of many a hound from leash unbound,

running on lovely meadows in and out—

 

immensely all these things delight, no doubt,             5

a heart that free of somber cares is found.

In all my thoughts of love enmeshed and bound,

from one of them I hear this taunting flout.

 

It tells me, as it told me once before:

“How charming—look!—a gentle heart can be:          10

in such barbaric bliss it can ignore

 

all women and their faces’ gaiety!”

In terror, then, that Love may overhear,

I feel a weight of shame fall over me.

Dante’s Reply to an Unknown Versifier

 

The more Love wounds you with his withy tether,

the fuller your submission and the faster.

No other words of counsel can I muster:

let those who need advice, put things together.

 

But when the time comes, with his soothing plaster    5

he’ll take away what’s now so sore and bitter,

for Love’s ultimate good is six times lighter

than all his ills. So bid your heart be master

 

along the road it has to pave, pursuing

Love’s sovereign might, if you have so been wounded 10

as these new clever rhymes seem to be proving.

 

Be not one moment from his power stranded,

because all bliss from him alone is flowing,

who makes his servants finally contented.

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