"Il Cacciatore" (The Hunter) by Giovanni Pascoli. English translation, with original Italian text. "Il Cacciatore" (The Hunter) from the collection "Myricae" (1891-1900)

 Claude Monet's The Hunt, 1876,  Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, Paris.

The following translation of "Sera d’ottobre" ("October Evening") by Giovanni Pascoli is from the book "The Poems of Giovanni Pascoli: Translated in English, with Original Italian Text," published by LiteraryJoint Press (2017). Also available as Amazon ebook (Free on Kindle Unlimited!) and  on Kobo.

The Hunter

 

Flutters the sketch of an idea in the still

air; it sings in the sky. The hunter sees it,

listens to it; follows it: his heart swims within.

Then, when with the dart, like sunlight’s blade,

shiny and straight, he strikes it down,

Oh, the poet! he was rejoicing, now lies in pain.

Ha! golden throat and beryllium eyes,

little siren of the high sky,

see, you no longer soar, nor shine,

nor sing: and don’t suffice this supper of mine.

Il Cacciatore

Frulla un tratto l’idea nell’aria immota;

canta nel cielo. Il cacciator la vede,

l’ode; la segue: il cuor dentro gli nuota.

Se poi col dardo, come fil di sole

lucido e retto, bàttesela al piede,

oh il poeta! gioiva; ora si duole.

Deh! gola d’oro e occhi di berilli,

piccoletta del cielo alto sirena,

ecco, tu più non voli, più non brilli,

più non canti: e non basti alla mia cena.

From the collection “Myricae” (1891-1900)