Sappho and Bliss Carman
This poem is from the book entitled Sappho: One Hundred Lyrics by Bliss Carman--- Perhaps the most perilous and the most alluring venture in the whole field of poetry is that which Mr. Carman has undertaken in attempting to give us in English verse those lost poems of Sappho of which fragments have survived. The task is obviously not one of translation or of paraphrasing, but of imaginative and, at the same time, interpretive construction. It is as if a sculptor of to-day were to set himself, with reverence, and trained craftsmanship, and studious familiarity with the spirit, technique, and atmosphere of his subject, to restore some statues of Polyclitus or Praxiteles of which he had but a broken arm, a foot, a knee, a finger upon which to build. Mr. Carman’s method, apparently, has been to imagine each lost lyric as discovered, and then to translate it; for the indefinable flavor of the translation is maintained throughout, though accompanied by the fluidity and freedom of purely original work. Remarks by C.G.D. ROBERTS from the preface
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Love shakes my soul, like a mountain wind Falling upon the trees, When they are swayed and whitened and bowed As the great gusts will.
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I know why Daphne sped through the grove When the bright god came by,
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And shut herself in the laurel's heart For her silent doom.
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Love fills my heart, like my lover's breath Filling the hollow flute,
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Til the magic wood awakes and cries With remembrance and joy.
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Ah, timid Syrinx, do I not know Thy tremor of sweet fear?
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For a beautiful and imperious player Is the lord of life.
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Viewer Comments
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| 5/26/2004 11:22:42 AM |
chiaroscuro |
Beautiful. C. |
| 5/26/2004 11:58:00 AM |
Treeseed |
Thanks, C. Glad you popped in. I love Bliss Carman and when combined with Sappho...well, Bliss! |
| 5/26/2004 1:50:57 PM |
chiaroscuro |
Here's a good link to Carman -- http://eir.library.utoronto.ca/rpo/display/poet56.html |
| 5/26/2004 3:13:05 PM |
Treeseed |
Thank you for thinking of me, Chiaroscuro. I have that one in my favorites. |
| 5/26/2004 6:41:30 PM |
stargazer |
I enjoyed this very much, Terrie...your albums are a beacon of enlightenment...~*~ |
| 5/26/2004 6:45:38 PM |
princess daisy |
such beauty terrie ~ that 'Sappho' in blue speaks volumes to me, i can feel her thoughts . . . |
| 5/26/2004 7:33:39 PM |
Treeseed |
Oh, my goodness, thank you, Annie! What a nice thing to say. I appreciate it and I'm glad you enjoyed this album. |
| 5/26/2004 7:34:52 PM |
Treeseed |
Thank you, Daisy. I know exactly what you mean. That painting is just drenched in mood. Thank you for visiting and for your comments. |
| 6/2/2004 7:31:31 PM |
moonchild3 |
i really like Khnopff's 'Sappho', lovely album my dear Treeseed...merci ~ |
| 6/3/2004 6:04:58 PM |
Cathy |
Such a beautiful album, Treeseed. "Til the magic wood awakes and cries With remembrance and joy." Love it. :) |
| 6/3/2004 7:16:21 PM |
Treeseed |
Thank you, Moonchild. Glad you stopped by. |
| 6/3/2004 7:16:30 PM |
Treeseed |
Thank you, Cathy. It's always such a pleasure to hear from you. |