Tuesday, June 30, 2009

latin makes us sad

"Latin II, Assignment 44.3, pg 134
#5
Please translate the following:

Si iam hic adesset, sub arbore vinum bibens mecum sederes.

'If you were here right now, you could be sitting with me, drinking wine under a tree.'"

Alas, the contrary-to-fact-statement!
The saddest of all, scribbled in my notebook.
There's me, there's the tree,
and the wine (growing considerably less)
but no you.
Such are the facts.
This tree longs to be sat under
by a convivial pair
instead of forlorn, drunken me.
The wine wants to taste your lips,
a most reasonable desire.
But you are not here.
If you were not so contrary
the facts could be
you, me, the wine, the tree,
and a future perfect.

1 comment:

  1. nice! i have always wanted to write a poem about translating latin. i dig your use of 'a future perfect.' word play!

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