Ezra Pound - Sestina: Altaforte

LOQUITUR: En Bertans de Born.  Dante Alighieri put this man in hell
for that he was a stirrer up of strife¹.  Eccovi! Judge ye! Have I dug
him up again?  The scene is at his castle, Altaforte.  "Papiols" is his
jongleur.  "The Leopard," the device of Richard Coeur de Lion.

I

Damn it all! all this our South stinks² peace.
You whoreson dog, Papiols, come!  Let's to music!
I have no life save when the swords clash.
But ah! when I see the standards gold, vair, purple, opposing
And the broad fields beneath them turn crimson³,
Then howl I my heart nigh mad with rejoicing.

II

In hot summer I have great rejoicing
When the tempests kill the earth's foul⁴ peace,
And the lightning from black heav'n flash crimson,
And the fierce thunders roar me their music
And the winds shriek⁵ through the clouds mad, opposing,
And through all the riven skies God's swords clash.

III

Hell grant soon we hear again the swords clash!
And the shrill⁶ neighs of destriers in battle rejoicing,
Spiked⁷ breast to spiked breat opposing!
Better one hour's stour than a year's peace
With fat boards, bawds, wine and frail⁸ music!
Bah! there's no wine like the blood's crimson!

IV

And I love to see the sun rise blood-crimson.
And I watch his spears through the dark clash
And it fills all my heart with rejoicing
And pries⁹ wide my mouth with fast music
When I see him so scorn and defy peace,
His long might 'gainst all darkness opposing.

V

The man who fears war and squats¹⁰ opposing
My words for stour, hath no blood of crimson
But is fit only to rot in womanish peace
Far from where worth's won and the swords clash
For the death of such sluts I go rejoicing;
Yea, I fill all the air with my music.

VI

Papiols, Papiols, to the music!
There's no sound like to swords swords opposing,
No cry like the battle's rejoicing
When our elbows and swords drip the crimson
And our charges 'gainst "The Leopard's" rush clash.
May God damn for ever all who cry "Peace!"

VII

And let the music of the swords make them crimson!
Hell grant soon we hear again the swords clash!
Hell blot¹¹ black for always the thought "Peace!"