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
Se voi poteste per turbati segni,
per chinar gli occhi, o per piegar la testa,
o per esser piú d'altra al fuggir presta,
torcendo 'l viso a' preghi honesti et degni,

uscir già mai, over per altri ingegni,
del petto ove dal primo lauro innesta
Amor piú rami, i' direi ben che questa
fosse giusta cagione a' vostri sdegni:

ché gentil pianta in arido terreno
par che si disconvenga, et però lieta
naturalmente quindi si diparte;

ma poi vostro destino a voi pur vieta
l'esser altrove, provedete almeno
di non star sempre in odïosa parte.

If you, with signs of your unease,
lowering your eyes, bowing your head,
or being more ready than anyone to flee,
turning your face from honest worthy prayers,

or by some other ingenuity, seek escape
so from my heart, from which Love grafts
more branches of that first laurel, I'd agree
there was just cause for your disdain:

for a noble plant in arid soil
is embarrassed by it, so naturally
delights in being moved somewhere else:

and though your destiny prevents you
being elsewhere, you can at least provide
that you're not always somewhere you hate.


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

A Merentha Entertainment Project


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