Saturday, January 10, 2009

Translating Poems from One Period of English into Another...

Let's start with this....


     To Lucasta, going to the Wars

TELL me not, Sweet, I am unkind,
    That from the nunnery
Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind
     To war and arms I fly.

True, a new mistress now I chase, 5
     The first foe in the field;
And with a stronger faith embrace
     A sword, a horse, a shield.

Yet this inconstancy is such
     As thou too shalt adore; 10
I could not love thee, Dear, so much,
     Loved I not Honour more.




MODERN TRANSLATION...


Hey Lucy, I'm Going out for a Little While

Don't bitch.
"I spent all day with you!"
You know it can get a little
boring around here. I need some air.

Ohmmigod, it's only a bar.
I play that trivia game with the guys!
It's not like that..."who I love more"...
Gets out my aggression. I play. It's better than Prozac!

You'll be happier in the long run.
We won't fight as much.
(If she fucking knew it was a gay bar!...)
I don't really like women.

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