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The punctuation and/or omission of it in my translation is (a) integral to the poem and (b) integral to my translation. The background music for the recording is a digitally retweaked orchestral version of the melody Captain Picard plays on his flute at the end of the Star Trek TNG episode "The Inner Light." Autumn Garden By Dino Campana Translated by A.Z. Foreman Click to hear me recite the original Italian Unto the ghost ly garden unto the laurels mute Of the green garlands Unto the autumn land One last salute! Out to the dried hillsides Reddened hard in the terminal sun Confounded into grumbles Gruff life afar is crying: Crying to the dying sun that sheds A blood that dyes the flowerbeds. A brass band plays Ear-piercingly away: the river fades Out amidst the gilded sands: in the quiet The great white statues stand at the bridgehead Turned: and what was once is now no more. And from the depths of quiet as it were a chorus Soft and splendorous Yearns its way to the heights o...

Sonnet 164 By Petrarch Translated by A.Z. Foreman Now at the hush of wind and earth and sky, Sleep bridles beasts and holds the birds aground, Night drives her star-lined chariot on its round, And, waveless, seas lie bedded, only I Still see and think and burn and rave and fret. My bringer of sweet pain undoes me more. In rage and tears, mine is a state of war And thoughts of Her are all the peace I get. Thus drink I sweet and bitter draughts that flow Forth from a single, living fountain's spray. One single hand both heals and deals each blow. To keep my ship of martyrdom at sea Have I a thousand births and deaths a day. So far is my salvation's port from me. The Original : Sonetto CLXIV Francesco Petrarca Or che �l cielo e la terra e �l vento tace, e le fere e gli augelli il sonno affrena, notte il carro stellato in giro mena, e nel suo letto il mar senz� onda giace; vegghio, penso, ardo, piango, e chi mi sface sempre m�� innanzi per mia dolce pena; guerra � �l mio stato, d�i...