1501 In vino verities (In vino veribus)
Translated by Peter Nicholas Dale

Cop this fresh off the grapevine. The curate ut came
Ta the refreshment do after the baptism t’day
After eleven glasses god anuther, an when he’d drained
It, his brain boiled over an flipped n’ this’s wod he had ta say.

“Ah fuckit! Just cos he’s born in the Latin rite,
Why is id a priest’s allowed ta screw roun’ with a whore,
But can’ go an take a wife! The same thing ut’s allrite,
That’s a virtue, f’ra Greek’s a sin fa me. It’s godda be flawed!’

An then he wen’ on: “Who’ll explain the why’n wherefore
A this puzzle a mine? Who can loosen the knot?
Nod even St. Joseph cud, even if he used his saw.

Wot’s a root got ta do with the way ya speak?
Wot’s the big diff b’tween, say, a wife that’s got
A latin cunt an anuther with a twat that’s greek?”

26/3/2001
The sonnet is translated into "Strine", the dialect spoken in Australia down to the 1960s.


 

1501 In vino verities (Orthographically normalized version)
Translated by Peter Nicholas Dale


Cop this fresh off the grapevine. The curate that came
To the refreshment do after the baptism today,
After eleven glasses got another, and when he’d drained
It, his brain boiled over: he flipped and had this to say.

“Ah fuck it! Just because he’s born in the Latin rite,
Why is it a priest’s allowed to screw round with a whore,
But can’t go and take a wife!? The same thing that’s alright,
That’s a virtue, for a Greek, is a sin for me. Must be flawed!’

And then he went on: ‘Who’ll explain the why and wherefore
Of this puzzle of mine? Who can loosen the knot?
Not even St. Joseph could, even if he used his saw.

What’s a root got to do with the way you speak?
What’s the big diff between, say, a wife that’s got
A latin cunt and another with a twat that’s greek?’

26/3/2001