Alliterative Poem for Spring

 Ianus Novák (Jan Novák 1921-1984)
‘Ionici quibus ver salvere iubetur’

Veniet ver violarum varia veste venustum
valide vivida vexilla vibrans ver violens
virginibus, vestra voluptas

Veniet ver veniet vivificans vos veluti
verbere virgae virides visite valles veteres
verrite vepres: veniet ver

Veniet ver: vigilate et Venerem versicolorem
vehementer venerantes valida voce vicissim
vocitate: eia ave ver!

Graceful spring will come in coloured blanket of violets, violent spring vigorously brandishing spirited flags for maidens, your pleasure.

Spring will come. It will come, reviving you as if by the lash of a rod. Go see green vales, sweep away old thorn-bushes, spring will come.

Spring will come. Vigorously be vigilant for varicoloured Venus, lasses again venerating with a strong voice, calling: ‘quick! hail spring!’

Carmina latina recentiora. Veterum tibiis canunt nepotes, 3rd edn, ed. by Rainardus Brune (Leichlingen: Domus editoria Rainardi Brune, 1986), p. 37. My translation.

A Latin Poem for Spring

Morten Børup (1446-1526):

      In vernalis temporis ortu laetabundo,
      Dum recessum frigoris nuntiat hirundo,
Terrae, maris, nemoris decus adest deforis, renovato mundo,  
Vigor redit corporis, cedit dolor pectoris, tempore iucundo,
      Terra vernat floribus, et nemus virore,
      Aves mulcent cantibus et vocis dulcore,
Aqua tempestatibus caret, aer imbribus, dulci plenus rore,
Sol, consumptis nubibus, radiis patentibus lucet cum decore.
      O! quam mira gloria, quantum decus Dei!
      Quanta resplendentia suae faciei!
A quo ducunt omnia, summa, ima, media, formam speciei,
Magis haec distantia, quam sit differentia noctis et diei.
 
      When springtime rises joyful,
      Whilst the swallow heralds the frost’s retreat,
The beauty of earth, sea and forest appears outside, the world is renewed,
The body’s strength returns, and the heart’s sorrow fades, in this pleasant time,
      The earth abounds with flowers and the woods with greenery,
      The birds flatter with songs and sweet tunes,
The water is undisturbed by storms, the air with rain, is filled with a sweet spray,
The sun, having devoured the clouds, shines beautifully in illuming rays.
      O! What wondrous glory, how great is God’s splendour!
      How resplendent is His countenance!
From which all things, high and low and in between proceed,
Though the disparity between God and His creation is greater than between night and day.

Albert Thura, Idea historiae litterariae Danorum (Hamburg: sumtibus Theodori Christophori Felgineri, 1723), pp. 71-72 with typos plexus (7) and dictantia (12). My translation.