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
Né mai pietosa madre al caro figlio
né donna accesa al suo sposo dilecto
die' con tanti sospir', con tal sospetto
in dubbio stato sí fedel consiglio,

come a me quella che 'l mio grave exiglio
mirando dal suo eterno alto ricetto,
spesso a me torna co l'usato affecto,
et di doppia pietate ornata il ciglio:

or di madre, or d'amante; or teme, or arde
d'onesto foco; et nel parlar mi mostra
quel che 'n questo vïaggio fugga o segua,

contando i casi de la vita nostra,
pregando ch'a levar l'alma non tarde:
et sol quant'ella parla, ò pace o tregua.

Never did mother caring for her dear son
nor lady burning for her beloved husband
give such faithful counsel to an anxious mind
with such sighing, and with such concern,

as she, gazing on my heavy exile
from her eternal refuge in the sky,
offers me, with her usual affection,
her brow shining with two-fold pity:

now a mother's, now a lover's: anxious
or burning with virtuous fire: showing me
in her speech what path to flee or follow,

in all the changes of this life of ours,
begging me to ennoble my soul quickly:
and only while she speaks, do I rest.


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

A Merentha Entertainment Project


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