Sonnet LII

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

Sonnet LII by Francesco Petrarch

SONNET LII.

Sente l' aura mia antica, e i dolci colli.

HE REVISITS VAUCLUSE.

I feel the well-known gale; the hills I spySo pleasant, whence my fair her being drew,Which made these eyes, while Heaven was willing, shewWishful, and gay; now sad, and never dry.[Pg 275]O feeble hopes! O thoughts of vanity!Wither'd the grass, the rills of turbid hue;And void and cheerless is that dwelling too,In which I live, in which I wish'd to die;Hoping its mistress might at length affordSome respite to my woes by plaintive sighs,And sorrows pour'd from her once-burning eyes.I've served a cruel and ungrateful lord:While lived my beauteous flame, my heart be fired;And o'er its ashes now I weep expired.
Nott.
Once more, ye balmy gales, I feel you blow;Again, sweet hills, I mark the morning beamsGild your green summits; while your silver streamsThrough vales of fragrance undulating flow.But you, ye dreams of bliss, no longer hereGive life and beauty to the glowing scene:For stern remembrance stands where you have been,And blasts the verdure of the blooming year.O Laura! Laura! in the dust with thee,Would I could find a refuge from despair!Is this thy boasted triumph. Love, to tearA heart thy coward malice dares not free;And bid it live, while every hope is fled,To weep, among the ashes of the dead?
Anne Bannerman.

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