Love
Sonnet CLXXXII (In Life): All Nature Would Be in Darkness Were She, Its Sun, to Perish
Translated by Rev. Francis Wrangham (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Life
Where'er she moves, whatever dames among,
Beauteous or graceful, matchless she below.
With her fair face she makes all others show
Dim, as the day's bright orb night's starry throng.
And Love still whispers, with prophetic tongue,--
"Long as on earth is seen that glittering brow,
Shall life have charms: but she shall cease to glow
And with her all my power shall fleet along,
Should Nature from the skies their twin-lights wrest;
Hush every breeze, each herb and flower destroy;
Strip man of reason--speech; from Ocean's breast
His tides, his tenants chase--such, earth's annoy;
Yea, still more darken'd were it and unblest,
Had she, thy Laura, closed her eyes to love and joy."
Cite this poem
MLA
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CLXXXII (In Life): All Nature Would Be in Darkness Were She, Its Sun, to Perish.” Translated by Rev. Francis Wrangham. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/217/.
Chicago
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CLXXXII (In Life): All Nature Would Be in Darkness Were She, Its Sun, to Perish.” Translated by Rev. Francis Wrangham. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/217/.
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More by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch)
- Madrigale II (In Life): A Love Journey--Danger in the Path--He Turns Back
- Canzone XV (In Life): He Finds Her Image Everywhere
- Sonnet CLXVII (In Life): He Returns the Glove, Bewailing the Effect of Her Beauty
- Sonnet VIII (In Death): With Her, His Only Solace, is Taken Away All His Desire of Life
- Sonnet LXXVI (In Death): He Conjures Laura, by the Pure Love He Ever Bore Her, to Obtain for Him a Speedy Admission to Her in Heaven