If Not, Winter: Fragments of Sappho

someone will remember us I say even in another time

you came and I was crazy for you and you cooled my mind that burned with longing

In fact she herself once blamed me Kyprogeneia because I prayed this word: I want.

]Sardis often turning her thoughts here ] you like a goddess and in your song most of all she rejoiced. But now she is conspicuous among Lydian women as sometimes at sunset the rosyfingered moon surpasses all the stars. And her light stretches over salt sea equally and flowerdeep fields. And the beautiful dew is poured out and roses bloom and frail chervil and flowering sweetclover. But she goes back and forth remembering gentle Atthis and in longing she bites her tender mind

yet if you had a desire for good or beautiful things and your tongue were not concocting some evil to say shame would not hold down your eyes but rather you would speak about what is just

I would not think to touch the sky with two arms

]sing to us the one with violets in her lap ]mostly ]goes astray

I emphasize the distinction between brackets and no brackets because it will affect your reading experience, if you will allow it. Brackets are exciting. Even though you are approaching Sappho in translation, that is no reason you should miss the drama of trying to read a papyrus torn in half or riddled with holes or smaller than a postage stamp--brackets imply a free space of imaginal adventure.

Evening you gather back all that dazzling dawn has put asunder: you gather a lamb, gather a kid, gather a child to its mother.

may you sleep on the breast of your delicate friend

] ]you will remember ]for we in our youth did these things yes many and beautiful things ] ] ]

for you beautiful ones my thought is not changeable

I want to say something but shame prevents me yet if you had a desire for good or beautiful things and your tongue were not concocting some evil to say, shame would not hold down your eyes but rather you would speak about what is just

gathering flowers so very delicate a girl

Eros the melter of limbs (now again) stirs me - sweetbitter unmanageable creature who steals in

but if you love us choose a younger bed for I cannot bear to live with you when I am the older one

neither for me honey nor the honey bee

For the man who is beautiful is beautiful to see but the good man will at once also beautiful be