Kubla Khan Poem by Geoffrey plowden

Kubla Khan

'Apta voluptati' iussisse 'palatia fiant'
magnum aiunt Xerxen. ubi tu sanctum, Alphi, fluebas
humanis flumen per non penetrabilia antra
in mare luce carens Phoebi, bis milia quinque
turribus ac muris circumdant fertilis arvi.
inde relucebant rivis errantibus horti
multa ubi perpetuo florebat odorifera arbor,
inde etiam antiquis aequalia montibus aevo
cingebant nemora herbosos in sole recessus.
mirus erat, terrae qui descendebat hiatus
obliquo cursu viridis de vertice collis,
numine quem cedri passim praesente tegebant!
a! ferus ille locus, nec religiosior ullus
luna decedente amens quem femina amantem
semideum exspectans avidis ululatibus implet!
atque hinc, vi magna pulsus sine fine tumultus,
ipse quasi halaret crebris singultibus orbis,
turbatas vastus fons effervebat in auras,
et rapidi fontis praeruptis ictibus acta
saxa resultabant ingentia, grandinis instar,
seu velut ad Zephyrum paleae iactantur inanes,
hisque ex innumeris saxis saltantibus usque
eiciebatur divinus fortiter amnis.
milia quinque fluens flexis ambagibus ille
per nemora ac valles, ad non penetrabilia antra,
in pontum strepitu demergebatur inertem;
quo procul a strepitu venerunt Xerxis ad aures
maiorum voces, qui bella futura monebant!
Fluctibus in mediis, tecti regalis in umbra,
antrorum poteras fontisque audire canorem;
mirum arat illud opus: iucunda palatia claro
ardebant in sole, gelu simul antra rigebant.
In somnis quondam visa est mihi barbara virgo,
quae resonante lyra de monte canebat Abora.
illius si in mente mea renovare Camenam
det deus, ipse canens atque imo pectore gaudens,
fulgentem quasi fingam aedem glacialiaque antra
in caelo, stupeantque omnes, clamentque 'cavete
diffusasque comas, oculos et fulgure plenos!
illum ter manibus sublatis cingere oportet,
claudamusque pia formidine lumina: Olympi
ambrosia est pastus, potus quoque nectare divum'.

This is a translation of the poem Kubla Khan by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Monday, June 13, 2016
Topic(s) of this poem: fantasy
POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
I like to translate poems that do not seem suitable at first. I think this poem is slightly overrated, marvellous as it is, because he does not get much further than exclaiming about the palace and the caves.
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
G Plowden 01 July 2018

Have just noticed a typo in line 31. Should read erat, not arat, of course. Sorry.

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