I A new notebook

Quo metro incipiam nouum libellum?
paruum, aptum his et idoneum diebus
sit, sed uix tenero notare versu
tam puros decet aut nocere chartas.
formis iam bene uiuimus Catulli
uiuamusque igitur bono colore.

Metre: Hendecasyllables

Translation: In what metre should I begin a new little book? It should be slight, fit and suitable for these days; but it is scarcely decent to mark or harm such pure pages with tender verse. We are living well at the moment with Catullus’ forms; and so let us live colourfully.

II Sunburn

Solis sub radiis cutem rubesco
speratis male praeparatam ut albam
natiui speciem ferens Britanni
mutatus uidear ruber Britannus,
addit cui maculas culex facetus
crudeli magis arte rubriores.

Metre: Hendecasyllables

Translation: Under the anticipated rays of the sun my ill-prepared skin reddens, so that bearing the white aspect of the native Briton I seem to be changed into a red Briton, to which the witty mosquito has added some redder spots with its more cruel art.

III Twitter

Pipiat omnis homo, rapidarum more uolucrum,
partirique modis omnibus ulla uolunt.
quomodo rem teneant Romani nostra uidentes?
quidue homines pauidi participesue putent?

Metre: Elegiac Couplets

Translation: Every person is tweeting, in the manner of swift birds, and they all want to share anything in all kinds of ways. What might the Romans make of it, if they saw our activities? What would they think, would they be fearful, or would they participate?

IV For Gina Soter

Gina dea, admiror res factas, uocis amorem
     antiquae: seruas carmina, Gina dea.

Metre: Elegiac Couplet

Translation: Divine Gina, I admire the things you have achieved, and your love for the voice of antiquity; you are saving our poetry, divine Gina.