World Poetry Translation Project

Submit Human Translation | Discuss Poem | Post Poetry | Listen McGill Live The Song Of The Strange Ascetic by G.K. Chesterton If I had been a Heathen, I'd have praised the purple vine, My slaves should dig the vineyards, And I would drink the wine. But Higgins is a Heathen, And his slaves grow lean and grey, That he may drink some tepid milk Exactly twice a day. If I had been a Heathen, I'd have crowned Neaera's curls, And filled my life with love affairs, My house with dancing girls; But Higgins is a Heathen, And to lecture rooms is forced, Where his aunts, who are not married, Demand to be divorced. If I had been a Heathen, I'd have sent my armies forth, And dragged behind my chariots The Chieftains of the North. But Higgins is a Heathen, And he drives the dreary quill, To lend the poor that funny cash That makes them poorer still. If I had been a Heathen, I'd have piled my pyre on high, And in a great red whirlwind Gone roaring to the sky; But Higgins is a Heathen, And a richer man than I: And they put him in an oven, Just as if he were a pie. Now who that runs can read it, The riddle that I write, Of why this poor old sinner, Should sin without delight- But I, I cannot read it (Although I run and run), Of them that do not have the faith, And will not have the fun. American Review | www.PaperLyon.com | McGill Live Radio | Publish

Translations for this Poem  English  Spanish  French  Italian  Portuguese  Korean  Russian  Chinese  Japanese

Poems by G.K. Chesterton A Ballad Of Suicide Elegy In A Country Churchyard The Aristocrat The Donkey The Great Minimum The Last Hero The Rolling English Road The Song Of The Strange Ascetic The Strange Music The Sword Of Surprise The World State

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G.K. Chesterton	Gabriela Mistral	Galway Kinnell
Gary Soto	Geoffrey Chaucer	Geoffrey Hill
Georg Trakl	George Herbert	George Sterling
Gerald Stern	Gerard M. Hopkins	Gertrude Stein
Grace Paley	Gregory Corso	Guillaume Apollinaire
Gwendolyn Brooks

Volunteers needed to translate poetry into different languages. Please help us correct the translation of these poems. We currently have 79,663 translations and are trying to create the largest and most accurate database of world poetry translations. We have started with machine translations which are very inaccurate. Please translate your favorite poem on this site. You will be given credit for your translation and a link to your site if desired. COPYRIGHT NOTICE: These poems have been gathered and submitted by many of people, and from many sources. Most have no copyright. However, some may may have copyrights. We have tried to collect poems that appear on many external sites where the author seems to want to disseminate. If you are an author and do not want your poetry translated into other languages then send a removal request and it will be promptly removed.