Donzella (born c. 1240) A la stagion che il mondo foglia e fiora

"In the time when the world leafs and flowers"

In the time when the world leafs and flowers,
gentle lovers’ walks are long
and joyous through the fields, to woods and bowers
where little birds delight them with their song.
Every man does service courteously:
They fall in love, of their own free will,
and every maiden spends this time in joy.
But I have wept and I am weeping still

since father goads me till I can’t contain
my feelings of bewilderment and grief:
He wants me to accept, by force, a lord
not of my liking or of my accord.
So every hour I cry and live in pain,
and take no joy in any flower or leaf.

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translation © 1999, 2001 Leonard Cottrell. All rights reserved

main index for rhymed translations
Guilhem de Peitieu, the first known troubadour

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A la stagion che il mondo foglia e fiora,
accresce gioia a tutti fini amanti,
vanno insieme a li giardini allora
che gli augelletti fanno dolci canti.
La franca gente tutta s’innamora,
ed in servir ciascun traggesi innanti,
ed ogni damigella in gioi’ dimora.
A me n’abbondan marrimenti e pianti,

che lo mio padre m’ha messa in errore,
e tienemi sovente in forte doglia:
Donar mi vuole, a mia forza, segnore.
Ed io di cio non ho disio ne voglia,
e in gran tormento vivo a tutte l’ore:
Pero non mi rallegra fior ne foglia.

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