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
D'un bel chiaro polito et vivo ghiaccio
move la fiamma che m'incende et strugge,
et sí le vène e 'l cor m'asciuga et sugge
che 'nvisibilmente i' mi disfaccio.

Morte, già per ferire alzato 'l braccio,
come irato ciel tona o leon rugge,
va perseguendo mia vita che fugge;
et io, pien di paura, tremo et taccio.

Ben poria anchor Pietà con Amor mista,
per sostegno di me, doppia colonna
porsi fra l'alma stancha e 'l mortal colpo;

ma io nol credo, né 'l conosco in vista
di quella dolce mia nemica et donna:
né di ciò lei, ma mia ventura incolpo.

The flame that burns me and destroys me
flows from lovely clear smooth living ice,
and so drains and dries the veins and heart
that I melt away almost invisibly.

Death, his arm already lifted for the blow,
like an angry thundering sky, or a roaring lion,
comes following my life that flies,
and I am mute, and tremble, filled with fear.

Mercy and Love combined might still stand
as a double column, to protect me
between the weary heart, and the mortal wound:

but I don't believe so, nor see it in her face,
that sweet lady and enemy of mine:
nor do I blame her in this, but my ill fate.


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

A Merentha Entertainment Project


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