“The solitary bird,” a translation by Beverly Bie Brahic (Poetry ’06)

2006 poetry alum Beverly Bie Brahic was recently featured in The New Criterion. Read an excerpt of Brahic’s translation of “The solitary bird” below:

The solitary bird (a translation)

The solitary bird
by Giacomo Leopardi

From the top of the old tower,
Solitary bird, you go on singing
To the countryside until the day dies;
And your song drifts through the valley.
Spring everywhere
Shines in the air and exults in the fields,
And seeing it disarms the heart.
You hear flocks bleating, herds lowing;
Happy, the other birds play together,
Ceaselessly turning in the cloudless sky,
Celebrating this gladdest of seasons:
You sit apart, pensive, watching it all;
No companions, no flights,
No show of joy, you shun their games;
You sing, and singing spend
The year’s and your life’s finest flower.

Read the full translation, as well as another, at The New Criterion: https://newcriterion.com/issues/2021/4/the-solitary-bird-a-translation