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
Amor mi manda quel dolce pensero
che secretario anticho è fra noi due,
et mi conforta, et dice che non fue
mai come or presto a quel ch'io bramo et spero.

Io, che talor menzogna et talor vero
ò ritrovato le parole sue,
non so s'i' 'l creda, et vivomi intra due,
né sí né no nel cor mi sona intero.

In questa passa 'l tempo, et ne lo specchio
mi veggio andar ver' la stagion contraria
a sua impromessa, et a la mia speranza.

Or sia che pò: già sol io non invecchio;
già per etate il mio desir non varia;
ben temo il viver breve che n'avanza.
Love sends me a sweet thought,
an ancient messenger between us two,
to comfort me, saying he was never
readier than now to grant what I hope and wish.

I, who have found his words sometimes true,
and sometimes false, still not certain
whether to believe him, live between the two,
neither yes nor no sounds wholly in my heart.

In this way time flies, and in the mirror
I see I near the season that opposes
his promise, and my hopes.

Now come what must: I'm not alone in growing old:
only my longing does not alter with the years:
truly I fear the brief life that cannot last.


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

A Merentha Entertainment Project


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