The Infinite
This solitary hill has always been dear to
And this hedge, which prevents me from seeing most
The endless horizon.
But when I sit and gaze,
I imagine, in my
Endless spaces beyond the hedge,
An all encompassing silence and a deeply profound quiet,
To the point that my heart is almost overwhelmed.
And when I hear the wind rustling through the treesI compare its voice to the infinite silence.
And eternity occurs to me, and all the ages past,
And the present time, and its sound.
Amidst this immensity my thought drowns:
And to flounder in this sea is sweet to me.
Displayed with the kind permission of Kenneth David West 2003 copying for other than personal use strictly forbidden.
Count Giacomo Leopardi
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