Poem LXII – Love, Blame Yourself

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Poem LXII – Love, Blame Yourself

Pernette du Guillet (1520?-45)

Colpa ne sei, Amor, se troppo volsi Aggiongendo alla tua bocca mia ; Ma se punir mi vuoi di quel, che tolsi, Fa’ che concesso il replicar mi sia : Che tal dolcezza in le tuoi labbia accolsi, Che fu lo spirto per partirsi via ; Sò ch’al secondo bacio uscirà fuora : Bacia me adunque, se tu vuoi ch’i’ muora.
Poem LXII – Love, Blame Yourself
Love, blame yourself, if I transgressed, daring to put my lips to yours: if stolen kiss must be redressed, permit another, which restores! I had such sweetness from your breath, my soul would readily have flown: a second kiss, and it is gone: then kiss me, if you wish my death.

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by Pernette du Guillet...

Venice has not more barques

Il n’est pas tant

Mellin de St–Gelais (1491-1558)

Il n’est pas tant
Il n’est pas tant de barques à Venise, D’huistres à Bourg, de lièvres en Champagne, D’ours en Savoie, et de veaux en Bretagne, De cygnes blancs le long de la Tamise; De différends aux peuples d’Allemagne, Ne tant d’amours se traitent à l’église, Ne tant de gloire à un seigneur d’Espagne, Ne tant se trouve à la Cour de feintise, Ne tant y a de monstres en Afrique, D’opinions en une république, Ne de pardons à Rome aux jours de fête; Ne d’avarice en homme de pratique, Ne d’arguments en une Sorbonique, Que ma mie a de lunes en la tête.
Venice has not more barques
Venice has not more barques, nor Champagne hares; Thames has not more white swans in all her course; Of calves has Brittany not more resource, Nor Bourg of oysters, nor Savoy of bears; Nor do more lovers to the altar run, Nor are there more debates in Germany, Nor has a Spanish lord more dignity, Nor at a court is more deceiving done; More monsters, Africa cannot purvey, More pardons, not a Roman holiday, Republics hear not more opinions said, The learned have not more rapacity, More arguments the university, Than there are moons inside my darling’s head.
Published 1991 in Outposts. Said at Insead banquet 1996. Oysters: Bourg–en–Charente. Translation: copyright © Timothy Adès

Translation: Copyright © Timothy Adès

More poems by Mellin de St–Gelais...