(Neg)Otium Veris

I have decided to take the final step in the poem, and what I now feel will be the only way the whole thing will work to capture the spirit of Dante. I’m going for pure terza rima – that is, ABA BCB CDC. It will be difficult, but I realized that since I already have the first and third line of every line rhyming, the only necessary chance will be the middle line of each preceding tercet. For example, here’s the first six lines in pure terza rima –

1      Thus speaks he in tears as the sails’ rigging’s loosed;
2      on Euboean beaches of Cumae they moor.
3      Turned prows toward the ocean; with hard-biting tooth

4      the fleet lies at anchor, whose sterns line the shore.
5      A cohort of youths on Hesperian sands
6      makes spirited sallies; for sparks they explore

I will spend most of Spring Break working on this revision, that is, the days I won’t be in Rome. Concerning that little trip, I have received abundant help in preparing for what will likely be one of the the best weeks of my life. I’d like to thank the family of Zev Eisenberg for providing detailed directions for some well-informed walking routes through the city and some helpful technology such as an iPod touch and a European power outlet convertor. I’d also like to thank my professors such as Michael Grillo for helping plan museum tours, and Elena Florey for teaching me some Italian last year. This should be an amazing experience, and you’ll read all about it on this blog. Stay tuned!