David X Novak
  • Home
  • About
  • Poetry
  • Plays
  • Prose
  • Books
  • News
  • Contact

A Sonnet by Cecco Angiolieri: If I Were Fire (S'i' fosse foco)

6/6/2016

 

If I were fire, I would set the world aflame;
If I were wind, I would storm it;
If I were water, I would drown it;
If I were God, I would send it to the abyss.
If I were Pope, then I would be happy,
For I would swindle all the Christians;
If I were Emperor, do you know what I would do?
I would chop off heads all around.
If I were death, I would go to my father;
If I were life, I would flee from him;
The same would I do with my mother.
If I were Cecco, as I am and I was,
I would take all the women who are young and lovely
And leave all the old and ugly for others.




S'i' fosse foco, arderei 'l mondo; 
s'i' fosse vento, lo tempesterei; 
s'i' fosse acqua, i' l'annegherei; 
s'i' fosse Dio, mandereil' en profondo;
s'i' fosse Papa, allor sarei giocondo, 
che` tutti cristiani 'mbrigarei; 
s'i' fosse 'mperator, ben lo farei: 
a tutti taglierei lo capo a tondo.
S'i' fosse morte, andarei a mi' padre; 
s'i' fosse vita, non starei con lui: 
similmente faria con mi' madre.
S'i' fosse Cecco, com'i' sono e fui, 
torrei le donne giovani e leggiadre: 
le zoppe e vecchie lasserei altrui.
​


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    News?

    A new poem is always news to the poet.
    ​Or whatever.

    Archives

    April 2020
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed