I

When we walked to our rooms at Zagara, there was a stretch of road that for some bizarre reason would make my shoes squeak incredibly loud.

Calceus alto caelo audacter perpetuoque
    incantat laedit largiter omniaque
devotat iam me grave forte venefica vero
    Iam facit haec aures ut mihi non operent

Meter: Elegiac Couplets

Translation: My shoe sings constantly and boldly to the heavens, and it greatly harms everyone.  A witch now indeed curses me with a strong burdensome thing. She does these things now so that my ears do not work

II

When we first arrived in Sicily and headed to our first adventure at Segesta, the Sun was very intense, and my Michigan tempered skin received an unexpected beating.

Sol pulsat radiis me vero saepe agit idque.
    ast aliquis quae me vulneraque emaculat;
pulchrior est Venere et dulcissima cura valensque.
    concinne bonitas iam faciem sequitur:
cum veniatque cutem tangat laetor placeorque
    aegro letato. est aura ea paeonia

Meter: Elegiac Couplets

Translation: The Sun is truly beating me with its rays, and it does this often. But there is one who soothes me and my wounds; she is more beautiful than Venus and she is the sweetest, strong healing remedy. Elegantly, goodness follows her appearance: when she arrives and touches my skin, I am happy, and content because the pain is gone. She is the healing wind.

III

The first few days of the workshop my friends and I were having a very difficult time writing poetry. This was 1) frustrating, and 2) enlightening, because we now have a greater appreciation for the Latin poets. Like any modern poet going through a tough time, I wrote a poem about it.

Tristes conveniunt post horas impietatis.
lamentant scrupos et res iam nocte sedentes:
"sol nimis aestifer est et nugas scribo nihilque"
horas perque horas de multis saepe loquuntur.
iam musae large constantia lege nocetur.
mox dormitum abeunt et cras melioraque sperant

Meter: Dactylic Hexameter

Translation: Sad they come together after hours of failure. Now sitting in the night, they share their struggles and such: "the sun is too hot, and I write garbage and nothing" for hours and hours they frequently talk about many things. their perseverance is now harmed by the plentiful laws of the Muse. soon they go away to sleep and they hope for better things tomorrow.