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
Discolorato ài, Morte, il piú bel volto
che mai si vide, e i piú begli occhi spenti;
spirto piú acceso di vertuti ardenti
del piú leggiadro et più bel nodo ài sciolto.

In un momento ogni mio ben m'ài tolto,
post'ài silenzio a' piú soavi accenti
che mai s'udiro, et me pien di lamenti:
quant'io veggio m'è noia, et quand'io ascolto.

Ben torna a consolar tanto dolore
madonna, ove Pietà la riconduce:
né trovo in questa vita altro soccorso.

Et se come ella parla, et come luce,
ridir potessi, accenderei d'amore,
non dirò d'uom, un cor di tigre o d'orso.
Death, you've made the loveliest face I've seen,
turn pale, and dimmed the loveliest eyes:
freed the spirit brightest with blazing virtues,
from the most graceful and the loveliest knot.

You've taken all my good in a moment,
sealed the gentlest voice ever heard
with your silence, filled me with sorrow:
so whatever I see and hear annoys me.

My lady does return to console such grief,
here where Pity once more leads her:
and I find no other help in this life.

And if I could describe how she speaks,
and shines, I'd make not just men's hearts
I say, but bears' and tigers' burn with love.


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

A Merentha Entertainment Project


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