Love
Sonnet XV (In Life): His State When Laura is Present, and When She Departs
Translated by Capel Lofft (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Life
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.
Cite this poem
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/.
Read this poem with the Codex →
More by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch)
- Canzone IX (In Life): In Praise of Laura's Eyes: They Lead Him to Contemplate the Path of Life
- Sonnet CXIII (In Life): His Invincible Constancy
- Sonnet CLXXXII (In Life): All Nature Would Be in Darkness Were She, Its Sun, to Perish
- Sonnet XXIII (In Death): Morn Renders His Grief More Poignant
- Sonnet LXXXIX (In Death): He Begs Love to Assist Him, That He May Worthily Celebrate Her