Love

Sonnet XV (In Life): His State When Laura is Present, and When She Departs

by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch) 1304–1374

Translated by Capel Lofft (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Life

Love

Down my cheeks bitter tears incessant rain,
And my heart struggles with convulsive sighs,
When, Laura, upon you I turn my eyes,
For whom the world's allurements I disdain,
But when I see that gentle smile again,
That modest, sweet, and tender smile, arise,
It pours on every sense a blest surprise;
Lost in delight is all my torturing pain.
Too soon this heavenly transport sinks and dies:
When all thy soothing charms my fate removes
At thy departure from my ravish'd view.
To that sole refuge its firm faith approves
My spirit from my ravish'd bosom flies,
And wing'd with fond remembrance follows you.

MLA

Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet XV (In Life): His State When Laura is Present, and When She Departs.” Translated by Capel Lofft. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/16/.

Chicago

Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet XV (In Life): His State When Laura is Present, and When She Departs.” Translated by Capel Lofft. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/16/.

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