Love
Sonnet XLV (In Death): His Only Desire is Again to Be with Her
Translated by Rev. Francis Wrangham (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Death
Fled--fled, alas! for ever--is the day,
Which to my flame some soothing whilom brought;
And fled is she of whom I wept and wrote:
Yet still the pang, the tear, prolong their stay!
And fled that angel vision far away;
But flying, with soft glance my heart it smote
('Twas then my own) which straight, divided, sought
Her, who had wrapp'd it in her robe of clay.
Part shares her tomb, part to her heaven is sped;
Where now, with laurel wreathed, in triumph's car
She reaps the meed of matchless holiness:
So might I, of this flesh discumberèd,
Which holds me prisoner here, from sorrow far
With her expatiate free 'midst realms of endless bliss!
Cite this poem
MLA
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet XLV (In Death): His Only Desire is Again to Be with Her.” Translated by Rev. Francis Wrangham. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/312/.
Chicago
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet XLV (In Death): His Only Desire is Again to Be with Her.” Translated by Rev. Francis Wrangham. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/312/.
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More by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch)
- Sonnet IX (In Life): With a Present of Fruit in Spring
- Sonnet LXI (In Life): Unless Laura Relent, He is Resolved to Abandon Her
- Sonnet CXXII (In Life): Laura in Tears
- Sonnet CXCIII (In Life): Though in the Midst of Pain, He Deems Himself the Happiest of Men
- Sonnet XXXIV (In Death): Soaring in Imagination to Heaven, He Meets Laura, and is Happy