Nature
Shorter Poems 33: On a Crystal enclosing a Drop of Water
Translated by Maurice Platnauer (1922) · From Shorter Poems
Nature
This piece of ice still shows traces of its original nature: part of it has become stone, part resisted the cold. It is a freak of winter’s, more precious by reason of its incomplete crystallization, for that the jewel contains within itself living water.
This translation is printed as prose in its source edition.
Cite this poem
MLA
Claudian. “Shorter Poems 33: On a Crystal enclosing a Drop of Water.” Translated by Maurice Platnauer. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/claudian/61/.
Chicago
Claudian. “Shorter Poems 33: On a Crystal enclosing a Drop of Water.” Translated by Maurice Platnauer. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/claudian/61/.
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