Their wives were not too keen about it all:
beyond the call of duty, so it seemed;
for, if they read the heavens' portents so well,
what need of proof, of presence at the scene?
And then, to go without due retinue
through unforgiving deserts; foreign towns;
and forests hiding thieves and wild beasts too?
And carrying rich gifts? And worse, their crowns?
And so to risk three kingdoms, not just one?
And for the sake of some religious creed
not even ours? 'Nay, love - it must be done;
we crown our lives and kingdoms with this deed;
these crowns are symbols of our rule on earth,
to yield the King of Heaven at His birth'
(revisited)
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
I enjoy poems like this that 'flesh out' events we may know only in a stereotypical way. And the theme and drif of the sonnet are powerfully inspiring. I love the last couplet, especially.