When Love with unconfinèd wings
Hovers within my gates,
And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates;
When I lie tangled in her hair
And fetter'd to her eye,
The birds that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.
When flowing cups run swiftly round
With no allaying Thames,
Our careless heads with roses bound,
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go free
Fishes that tipple in the deep
Know no such liberty.
When, like committed linnets,
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my King;
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Enlargèd winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.
Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.
Hovers within my gates,
And my divine Althea brings
To whisper at the grates;
When I lie tangled in her hair
And fetter'd to her eye,
The birds that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.
When flowing cups run swiftly round
With no allaying Thames,
Our careless heads with roses bound,
Our hearts with loyal flames;
When thirsty grief in wine we steep,
When healths and draughts go free
Fishes that tipple in the deep
Know no such liberty.
When, like committed linnets,
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty,
And glories of my King;
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Enlargèd winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.
Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage;
If I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.
Contributed by Bernart - 2013/7/30 - 22:49
Giustamente (o meno) i Fairport Convention omisero dalla loro versione la terza strofa della poesia originale, quella più manifestamente filomonarchica... Ma non è comunque questa il fulcro dei versi di Lovelace...
Bernart - 2013/7/30 - 22:59
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Note for non-Italian users: Sorry, though the interface of this website is translated into English, most commentaries and biographies are in Italian and/or in other languages like French, German, Spanish, Russian etc.
Versi del poeta inglese Richard Lovelace (1618-1657) che durante le prime fasi della guerra civile (1642-1651) si schierò con la monarchia contro il parlamento, e per questo fu imprigionato.
In prigione scrisse questa ed altre poesie che, al termine della guerra (conclusasi con l’esecuzione del re Carlo I), furono pubblicate in una raccolta intitolata “Lucasta”.
Nell’album dei Fairport Convention intitolato “Nine” del 1973.
Musica di Dave Swarbrick.
Un inno all’amore ed alla libertà scritto in prigionia e diretto ad un’amata immaginaria o reale, non importa...