Claudia Jardine
Sulpicia 3.13 – Etta James
Love has come such love such love
more shame in stashing blushes
than being famous for getting naked
Venus delivered
put in my pocket
Love
Venus delivered
my telling joy
let those with no joy speak mine
I want no safe letter
not no one reading before Love might –
scandal! oh please
beaten by keeping face
let me say it let me bear it
worth meets worthy
SULPICIA 3.14 – Stevie Nicks
hateful natality
is here
why was I even born?
to be spent in abusive country
trite in its lack of Cerinthus
no saccharine city
no suitable villa for this girl
no! cold rivulet amongst the vines
Messalla
uncle ugh
always with this unseasonable journey
taken against my will
that will surrendered
that will you never suffer to be
SULPICIA 3.15 – Katy Perry
have knowledge
the journey abolished
through your bitter girl’s courage
now
might I
be your birthday present?
let us pass the day
in everything
which you did not imagine
to be coming to you
SULPICIA 3.16 – Nina Simone
how nice it is
your surrender to apathy
me
in decay
let you have your harlots and their baskets
pinned down in a pile of their own togas
not this daughter of Servius
sting of the pessimists
fancy me giving in
to a nameless bed
SULPICIA 3.17 – Madonna
surely surely
your piety extends to the temple of your girl
altars afire with fever?
why choose to conquer
wretched infection
you not wishing it too
what is the use in evisceration
if you can stomach it
heart unmoving?
SULPICIA 3.18 – Julie Andrews
so hot
my light
these past few days
I mean
of all the stupid things I’ve done
I just
I left you alone last night
coveting my veiled
adoration
Claudia Jardine is currently studying Classics, English Literature, Latin and Creative Writing at Victoria University in Wellington. Her poems have previously appeared in Starling, The Spinoff and Salient. The above poems are translations from the Latin of Sulpicia, one of the few surviving female poets from antiquity.