POuertade enamorata, grand’è la tua signorìa
The Illusion of Earthly Dominion
Lady Poverty surveys the vast kingdoms and nations of the world, claiming them all under her paradoxical rule.
Beloved Poverty, your dominion is great. France and England are mine; I hold vast lands across the sea. No one wages war against me, because I keep it all under my rule. Saxony is mine, Gascony is mine, and Burgundy is mine, along with all of Normandy. The German kingdom is mine, as is the kingdom of Bohemia, along with Ireland, Denmark, Scotland, and Frisia. Tuscany is mine, the Spoleto valley is mine, and the March of Ancona is mine, along with all of Slavonia. The land of Sicily is mine, along with Calabria and the plains of Apulia. So are Campania and the Roman lands, along with the entire plain of Lombardy. Sardinia is mine, and so is the kingdom of Cyprus, Corsica, and the kingdom of Crete; beyond the sea, there are countless peoples whose lands I don't even know. Medes, Persians, and Elamites; Jacobites and Nestorians; Georgians and Ethiopians; India and Barbary.1
The Stewardship of Creation
Poverty describes her role as the generous steward of the earth, its creatures, and the natural elements.
I’ve given the lands to laborers to work and to vassals to cultivate; year after year, I give them their fruit—so great is my generosity. The earth, the grasses in all their colors, the trees and their flavorful fruits, the animals—my servants—all labor on my farm.2 The waters, rivers, lakes, and sea, the fish and their swimming, the air, the winds, and the birds in flight—they all make music and merriment for me.
The Freedom of the Transformed Soul
By surrendering her will to God, Poverty transcends the material world and finds total spiritual freedom in love.
The moon, sun, sky, and stars are nothing compared to my treasures; what sustains my song lies far above the heavens. Since God holds my will, I possess everything; my wings have so many feathers that nothing can keep me from rising from earth to heaven. Since I’ve given my will to God, every condition is mine; I’m transformed by love for them all—what love-enraptured generosity!
Read the original Latin
POuertade enamorata, grand’è la tua signorìa.
Mia è Francia & Inghilterra, enfra mar aggio gran terra, nulla me se moue guerra, sì la tengo en mia balìa.
Mia è la terra de Sassogna, mia è la terra de Guascogna, mia è la terra de Borgogna con tutta la Normandìa.
Mio è l renno Theotonicoro, mio è l renno Boemioro, Ybernia & Dacioro, Scotia & Fresonìa.
Mia è la terra de Toscana, mia è la ualle Spoletana, mia è la marca Anconetana con tutta la Schiauonìa.
Mia è la terra Cicigliana, Calabria & Puglia piana. Campagna & terra Romana con tutto l pian de Lombardìa.
Mia è Sardenna et renno Cypri, Corseca & quel de Creti, de là del mar gente infiniti che non saccio là ’ue stia.
Medi, Persi & Elamiti, Iacomini & Nestoriti, Giurgiani, Ethiopiti, India & Barbarìa.
Le terre ho dato a lauoranno, a li uasalli a coltiuanno, gli fructi dono en anno en anno, tant’è la mia cortesìa.
Terra, herbe con lor colori, arbori & fructi con sapori, bestie, miei seruitori, tutte en mia befolcarìa.
Acque, fiumi, lachi & mare, pescetegli & lor notare, aere, uenti, ucel uolare, tutti me fonno giollarìa.
Luna, sole, cielo & stelle fra miei tesor non son couelle, de sopra cielo sì ston quille che tengon la mia melodìa.
Poi che Dio ha l mio uelle, possessor d’onnecouelle, le mie ale hon tante penne de terra en cielo non m’è uia.
Poi el mio uoler a Dio è dato, possessor so d’onne stato, en lor amor so trasformato, ennamorata cortesìa.
Notes
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