Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Speaking of art....

This past week has been an interesting one. Lots of things happened all at once that made me question a lot of different things, including the humanity of mankind. Last week, right in the height of the drama, my Italian professor assigned my class to read this poem. When I saw the title I knew I was going to connect with Gaspara's poem, and I totally did. It pretty much sums up the past couple of years and is pretty much on-target when it comes to how I was feeling last week. The poem is beautiful. (Actually, I've read a few more of her poems since this one and all of them are absolutely gorgeous. If you like poetry, and even if you don't, look her up.) Read it and weep.


Dura è la stella mia

Gaspara Stampa

Dura è la stella mia, maggior durezza
è quella del mio conte: egli mi fugge,
i' seguo lui; altri per me si strugge,
i' non posso mirar altra bellezza.

Odio chi m'ama, ed amo chi mi sprezza:
verso chi m'è umile il mio cor rugge,
e son umil con chi mia speme adugge;
a così strano cibo ho l'alma avezza.

Egli ognor dà cagione a novo sdegno,
essi mi cercan dar conforto e pace:
i'lasso questi, ed a quell'un m'attegno.

Così ne la tua scuola, Amor, si face
sempre il contrario di quel ch'egli è ; degno:
l'umil si sprezza, e l'empio si compiace.

(dalle Rime, 1554)

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