Poliziano [Italian]
Listen to my sweet talk, Woods,
Because my beauty won't be heard.
Charming beauty doesn't listen to my sigh,
Don't care about the flute:
So my herd of cattle and sheep became dejected and despondent,
Don't want to soak your nose in water,
I don't want to wander in the soft green grass.
They broke the shepherd's heart.
Woods, please listen to my sweet words.
Cattle and sheep are very sympathetic to the shepherd.
Beauty has no heart for lovers;
A beautiful woman has a heart of stone,
Her heart is even like iron and diamonds.
She often leaves me,
Just like lambs always run away when they see wolves.
Woods, please listen to my sweet words.
My bagpipes, tell her,
Beauty will disappear with the years,
Tell her that time will destroy us,
The past years are gone forever.
Tell her to use her beauty,
Roses and violets will not fade forever.
Woods, please listen to my sweet words.
Wind, please put these wonderful poems,
My beautiful ears;
Tell her how many tears I have shed for her,
Beg her not to be so cruel.
Tell her I'm dying,
Like frost melting in front of the morning sun.
Listen to my sweet talk, Woods,
Because my beauty won't be heard.
(translated by Qian Hongjia)
Angelo Poliziano was born in 1454, a famous Italian Renaissance poet, scholar and humanist. When he was young, he showed his talent in China's classical literature and was hired as a secretary by the rulers of Florence. After 1480, he taught Greek and Latin in the university. He is a prolific poet. His poems are lyrical, beautiful and moving, with the characteristics of pastoral poetry and revealing humanistic ideals.
Song is a sad poem and a lonely song.
The whole poem consists of five sections. There are only two lines in the first section, which expresses the sadness that the shepherd can't get love. He can only send his feelings to the Woods and let the Woods listen to his sweet words, because he pursues beauty and doesn't want to listen to his beautiful songs. These two lines highlight the main content of the whole poem.
The second section especially expresses the grief and pain of the shepherd. The girl not only didn't listen to the shepherd's song, but also didn't listen to the moving flute. The shepherd was so sad that even the cattle and sheep were depressed, so they didn't go to the water to relax and wandered in the tender grass. The shepherd's song can only be sung to the Woods.
The third section directly describes the girl's heart of stone. It is said that a charming girl has no heart for her lover, only a heart like a stone, even as hard as iron and diamonds. Hiding from the shepherd is like a lamb seeing a wolf. Shepherds can only tell their warm words to the Woods.
The fourth section expresses the shepherd's infatuation and advice to the girl. Emphasize that beauty will disappear with time and youth will never return. Warn girls to cherish youth and beauty.
The fifth section is the emotional part of the whole poem. Highlight the shepherd's infatuation with the girl, hoping to touch her cold heart. Describe that the shepherd has shed tears for the girl and his life is dying, such as frost before sunrise. This poem has a strong appeal.
This poem, with infatuation, passionate love and bleak pictures, is unforgettable for a long time. The repetition of "Woods, listen to my sweet words" in each paragraph not only takes care of the whole poem in structure, but also strengthens the appeal of the work and makes the sad atmosphere more intense.