Sonnet CXIV

Read 'Sonnet CXIV' by 'Francesco Petrarch' and provide your summary and literary analysis in the comments section below.

Sonnet CXIV by Francesco Petrarch

SONNET CXIV.

O d' ardente virtute ornata e calda.

HE CELEBRATES LAURA'S BEAUTY AND VIRTUE.

O mind, by ardent virtue graced and warm'd.To whom my pen so oft pours forth my heart;Mansion of noble probity, who artA tower of strength 'gainst all assault full arm'd.O rose effulgent, in whose foldings, charm'd,We view with fresh carnation snow take part!O pleasure whence my wing'd ideas start[Pg 144]To that bless'd vision which no eye, unharm'd,Created, may approach—thy name, if rhymeCould bear to Bactra and to Thule's coast,Nile, Tanaïs, and Calpe should resound,And dread Olympus.—But a narrower boundConfines my flight: and thee, our native climeBetween the Alps and Apennine must boast.
Capel Lofft.
With glowing virtue graced, of warm heart known,Sweet Spirit! for whom so many a page I trace,Tower in high worth which foundest well thy base!Centre of honour, perfect, and alone!O blushes! on fresh snow like roses thrown,Wherein I read myself and mend apace;O pleasures! lifting me to that fair faceBrightest of all on which the sun e'er shone.Oh! if so far its sound may reach, your nameOn my fond verse shall travel West and East,From southern Nile to Thule's utmost bound.But such full audience since I may not claim,It shall be heard in that fair land at leastWhich Apennine divides, which Alps and seas surround.
Macgregor.

Form: Italian Sonnet Comments

Comments About This Poem

Share your interpretation, favorite passage, or thoughts about this famous poem. Please provide an in-depth and meaningful comment.

  • What do you think the poet was trying to say?
  • Which line had the biggest impact on you?
  • How does this poem relate to modern life?
  • What literary devices did you notice?
No comments have been posted yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.
Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace