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“A Song of the Virgin Mother” by Ezra Pound 🇺🇸🇮🇹 (30 Oct 1885 – 1 Nov 1972)
In the play “Los Pastores de Belen.“
—From the Spanish of Lope de Vega.
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As ye go through these palm-trees
O holy angel;
Sith sleepeth my child here
Still ye the branches.
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O Bethlehem palm-trees
That move to the anger
Of winds in their fury,
Tempestuous voices,
Make ye no clamour,
Run ye less swiftly,
Sith sleepeth the child here
Still ye your branches.
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He the divine child
Is here a-wearied
Of weeping the earth-pain,
Here for his rest would he
Cease from his mourning,
Only a little while,
Sith sleepeth this child here
Stay ye the branches.
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Cold be the fierce winds,
Treacherous round him.
Ye see that I have not
Wherewith to guard him,
O angels, divine ones
That pass us a-flying,
Sith sleepeth my child here
Stay ye the branches.