Petrarch Laura Francesco Petrarch and Laura For a woman he would never know
For a woman he could never have
He should change the world forever
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Petrarch:The Canzoniere

Translated by: A.S.Kline
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Information on the sonnet is available here.
Looking for an analysis of a specific poem from the Canzoniere?
Read I go thinking an analysis of poem 264 by Holly Barbaccia.


ITALIAN ENGLISH
Poi che 'l camin m'è chiuso di Mercede,
per desperata via son dilungato
da gli occhi ov'era, i' non so per qual fato,
riposto il guidardon d'ogni mia fede.

Pasco 'l cor di sospir', ch'altro non chiede,
e di lagrime vivo a pianger nato:
né di ciò duolmi, perché in tale stato
è dolce il pianto piú ch'altri non crede.

Et sol ad una imagine m'attegno,
che fe' non Zeusi, o Prasitele, o Fidia,
ma miglior mastro, et di piú alto ingegno.

Qual Scithia m'assicura, o qual Numidia,
s'anchor non satia del mio exsilio indegno,
cosí nascosto mi ritrova Invidia?
Since the path to Mercy's closed to me,
I travel on the road of despair, far
from those eyes where, by what fate who knows,
the reward for all my faith is set.

I feed the heart on sighs, it asks no more,
and, born to weep, I live on tears:
nor lament it, since in such a state
weeping's sweeter than others might believe.

And I adhere to one image alone,
that no Zeuxis, Praxiteles, or Phidias made,
but a greater master, with a nobler art.

What Scythia or Numidia would be safe for me,
since, still dissatisfied with my shameful exile,
Envy finds me again, buried here?


© Copyright 1999-2006
Peter Sadlon
Updated Sept 10th 2007

A Merentha Entertainment Project


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