| Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888. | | | | I Ask the Sky | | By Giovanni Crescimbeni (1663–1728) |
| | Translated by James Glassford, of Dougalston
Io chiedo al Ciel.
I ASK the Sky, what new and daring foe | |
| With hand so high against his God rebelled? | |
| It answers, Man; and when he struck the blow, | |
| In blackness of eclipse the sun I held. | |
| I ask the Ocean: heaving from below, | 5 |
| Man, it replies; by Man He was compelled | |
| To suffer thus, and with convulsive throe | |
| Unwonted tides my lowest channel swelled. | |
| I ask the Land: with long and bitter groan, | |
| Man shook me to the centre, is its cry; | 10 |
| And still upon my face the marks are shown. | |
| To Man, whose laughing hours in pleasure fly, | |
| To man, incensed I turn: proud Man alone, | |
| Tossing his lofty head, makes no reply. | | | | |
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