Ezra Pound - Cino

Italian Campagna 1309, the open road


Bah! I have sung women in three cities,
But it is all the same;
And I will sing of the sun.

Lips, words, and you snare¹ them,
Dreams, words, and they are as jewels,
Strange spells of old deity,
Ravens, nights, allurement:
And they are not;
Having become the souls of song.

Eyes, dreams, lips, and the night goes.
Being upon the road once more,
They are not.
Forgetful in their towers of our tuneing
Once for wind-runeing
They dream us-toward and
Sighing, say, "Would Cino,
Passionate Cino, of the wrinkling eyes,
Gay Cino, of quick laughter,
Cino, of the dare, the jibe².
Frail³ Cino, strongest of his tribe
That tramp old ways beneath the sun-light,
Would Cino of the Luth were here!"

Once, twice a year---
Vaguely thus word they:

        "Cino?" "Oh, eh, Cino Polnesi
        The singer is't you mean?"
        "Ah yes, passed once our way,
        A saucy⁴ fellow, but . . .
        (Oh they are all one these vagabonds),
        Peste! 'tis his own songs?
        Or some other's that he sings?
        But *you*, My Lord, how with your city?"

My you "My Lord," God's pity!
And all I knew were out, My Lord, you
Were Lack-land Cino, e'en as I am,
O Sinistro.

I have sung women in three cities.
But it is all one.
I will sing of the sun.
. . . eh? . . . they mostly had grey eyes,
But it is all one, I will sing of the sun.

        "'Pollo Phoibee, old tin pan, you
        Glory to Zeus' aegis-day,
        Shield o' steel-blue, th' heaven o'er us
        Hath for boss thy lustre⁵ gay!

        'Pollo Phoibee, to our way-fare
        Make thy laugh our wander-lied;
        Bid thy 'flugence bear away care.
        Cloud and rain-tears pass they fleet!

        Seeking e'er the new-laid rast-way
        To the gardens of the sun . . .

        *       *       *

        I have sung women in theree cities
        But it is all one.
        I will sing of the white birds
        In the blue waters of heaven,
        The clouds that are spray to its sea."