"A Landscape at Sunset with Fishermen" by Claude-Joseph Vernet Translation of a Sonnet by Joachim du Bellay The Society September 21, 2017 Beauty, Poetry, Translation 3 Comments Sonnet by Joachim du Bellay (1522-1560) / Translation by Morgan Downs If all our life is no more than a day In the Eternal; if the years which turn Chase off our days without hope of return, So transient are all things, be what they may: O captive soul, why do you dream today? Why unto worldly shadows do you yearn, Whereas, to fly in a more clear sojourn Your back is feathered for the wingèd way? There is the Good that every soul desires, There is the rest to which the world aspires, And there is love, and pleasure evermore. There, o my soul! Shepherded to the skies, The high ideal you shall realize Of beauty, which in this world I adore. Morgan Downs is a poet in his 20s living in Massachusetts. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Trending now: 3 Responses Sally Cook September 21, 2017 Although I do not know the translated poet, your translation seems sensitive and well done. Questions: In what language was this poem originally written? Was your translation done as part of a class assignment, or your own idea? Either way, I like what it has to say. Reply Morgan Downs September 21, 2017 The original language is French. Du Bellay was part of a group of poets called La Pleiade, which included Ronsard, the most famous, although I prefer Du Bellay. They introduced classical and renaissance poetic forms and trends to French, and also asserted the French language as a worthy language for poetical expression without feeling the need to slavishly ape Italian or Latin. They are among the first poets in what we could recognize as ‘modern’ French. Personally, I think Du Bellay might be the best sonneteer before the Romantic era. He was the first to use it for themes beyond love. I translated it for my own edification during a time when I had been reading a lot of his work, and French poetry in general, and when I was writing some French sonnets myself. Reply Douglas Thornton September 21, 2017 This is certainly a worthy translation! Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Sally Cook September 21, 2017 Although I do not know the translated poet, your translation seems sensitive and well done. Questions: In what language was this poem originally written? Was your translation done as part of a class assignment, or your own idea? Either way, I like what it has to say. Reply
Morgan Downs September 21, 2017 The original language is French. Du Bellay was part of a group of poets called La Pleiade, which included Ronsard, the most famous, although I prefer Du Bellay. They introduced classical and renaissance poetic forms and trends to French, and also asserted the French language as a worthy language for poetical expression without feeling the need to slavishly ape Italian or Latin. They are among the first poets in what we could recognize as ‘modern’ French. Personally, I think Du Bellay might be the best sonneteer before the Romantic era. He was the first to use it for themes beyond love. I translated it for my own edification during a time when I had been reading a lot of his work, and French poetry in general, and when I was writing some French sonnets myself. Reply