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
I' ò pregato Amor, e 'l ne riprego,
che mi scusi appo voi, dolce mia pena,
amaro mio dilecto, se con piena
fede dal dritto mio sentier mi piego.

I' nol posso negar, donna, et nol nego,
che la ragion, ch'ogni bona alma affrena,
non sia dal voler vinta; ond'ei mi mena
talor in parte ov'io per forza il sego.

Voi, con quel cor, che di sí chiaro ingegno,
di sí alta vertute il cielo alluma,
quanto mai piovve da benigna stella,

devete dir, pietosa et senza sdegno:
Che pò questi altro? il mio volto il consuma:
ei perché ingordo, et io perché sí bella?
I have prayed to Love, and I pray again
that he'll make you pardon me, my sweet hurt,
my bitter joy, if in perfect loyalty
I stray at all from the straight way.

I cannot deny, lady, and don't deny
that reason, that restrains all good souls,
is overcome by passion: so he leads me
at times to places where I unwillingly follow.

You, with that heart that heaven illumines
with such clear wit, and such noble virtue,
as ever rained down from a fortunate star,

should say, with pity and without disdain:
'What else can he do? My looks consume him:
why does he long so, why am I so beautiful?'


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

A Merentha Entertainment Project


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