Love
Sonnet CIII (In Life): Love's Armoury
Translated by Rev. Dr. Nott (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Life
Love makes me as the target for his dart,
As snow in sunshine, or as wax in flame,
Or gale-driven cloud; and, Laura, on thy name
I call, but thou no pity wilt impart.
Thy radiant eyes first caused my bosom's smart;
No time, no place can shield me from their beam;
From thee (but, ah, thou treat'st it as a dream!)
Proceed the torments of my suff'ring heart.
Each thought's an arrow, and thy face a sun,
My passion's flame: and these doth Love employ
To wound my breast, to dazzle, and destroy.
Thy heavenly song, thy speech with which I'm won,
All thy sweet breathings of such strong controul,
Form the dear gale that bears away my soul.
Cite this poem
MLA
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CIII (In Life): Love's Armoury.” Translated by Rev. Dr. Nott. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/132/.
Chicago
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CIII (In Life): Love's Armoury.” Translated by Rev. Dr. Nott. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/132/.
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More by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch)
- Sonnet XII (In Life): The Beauty of Laura Leads Him to the Contemplation of the Supreme Good
- Sonnet LXV (In Life): Better is It to Die Happy Than to Live in Pain
- Sonnet CXXIX (In Life): He Envies Every Spot That She Frequents
- Sonnet CXCIX (In Life): He Excuses Himself for Visiting Laura Too Often, and Loving Her Too Much
- Sonnet XL (In Death): He Attempts to Paint Her Beauties, but Not Her Virtues