Category: 2016 Poets

I Amor Juventutis The poet’s dedication to his imaginary Muse, who inspired this poem Sistimus caligine solis altoMonte, cum tu carmina dulce cantas,Frater, aura leniter a fretis fersTempus amoris. Proficiscemur, via nos reportetSemper invisos, procul unde sparsaeIam tenebrae alto pelago resurgunt,Tristia mortis. Delitescit sol tenebris in altis,Lucibus subterque nitentibus nosMonte nunc descendimus, alba lunaNoctis imago…

I Noctes Siculae Fessus se recipit Phoebus fervore reducto     et tenues auras Vesper amoenus alit.Extremis radiis crescunt fulgentibus umbrae,     per primas tenebras sidera clara micant.Sedibus in Siculis dapibus iam mensa paratur,     ex villis variis conveniunt homines.Herbarum egregiis impletur odoribus aula,     dulcia funduntur vina daturque oleum.Inter colloquia ac Musarum musica dona     securosque iocos effluit otium hebens. Meter: Elegiac Couplets Translation: Sicilian…

I Momentum Confusionis Confusus subito ab ea venustalingua, iamque sedens apud valentemquercum, rursus eam rogo “quid ais?” Metre: Hendecasyllables Translation: Confused suddenly by this elegant language, and now sitting near a strong oak, again I ask her “what are you saying?”

I This poem berates my father for cursing me with a lack of hair (I feel no ill will in reality). I tried my best to emulate the style of Catullus’ invective poems. Mendax, o pater, es quidem nocesque.Me natum Stephanumque nominasti.Sed ex nomine vile foedus ortum,Quo saeve male filio fideliNon donum nitidum aureum dedisti.Nunc…

I When we walked to our rooms at Zagara, there was a stretch of road that for some bizarre reason would make my shoes squeak incredibly loud. Calceus alto caelo audacter perpetuoque    incantat laedit largiter omniaquedevotat iam me grave forte venefica vero    Iam facit haec aures ut mihi non operent Meter: Elegiac Couplets Translation: My shoe sings…

I Amazon Narratum valide pedes petebatEius forma fuit ruina pulchraOppugnant ita militem sagittaeBellatrix superat cupidinem eius. Meter: Hendecasyllables Translation: The foot soldier was (desperately) seeking the story. Her allure was beautiful ruin. Thus, her arrows pierce the soldier; the warrior woman conquers his desire. II Perpetua Gloria Obscura famaPost animum latuitIllic manebit. Metrical Haiku Translation:…

I Nyctidromia vel Cursus Nocturnus These lines are fragments of a poem I wanted to write in honour of my maternal grandfather, who inspired a love of antiquity in me, and paid for my schooling after my father bolted, but who died when I was thirteen. It begins with a description of me jogging late…

I Infelix puer! Approbat Thalianecquiquam tibi non ineptiisve. Metre: Hendecasyllables Translation: unlucky lad! The muse does not look at all kindly upon you and your silly verses… II A Groaning Haiku eheu o eheuheu o! a! heu o! a! heueheu o haiku Metrical Haiku Translation:alas! oh alas!ahh! oh oh ahh! oh oh ahh!alas! oh haiku

I Siesta Siciliensis This is a poem about a siesta in the hot summer days of Sicily. It’s part experiment and practice in writing latin meter and part joke – the meter used is the Galliambici versus, as found in Catullus 63 about Attis. That poem is, as far as I know, the only surviving…