Sonnet XCIV

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

Sonnet XCIV by Francesco Petrarch

SONNET XCIV.

Se 'l sasso ond' è più chiusa questa valle.

COULD HE BUT SEE THE HOUSE OF LAURA, HIS SIGHS MIGHT REACH HER MORE QUICKLY.

If, which our valley bars, this wall of stone,From which its present name we closely trace,Were by disdainful nature rased, and thrownIts back to Babel and to Rome its face;Then had my sighs a better pathway knownTo where their hope is yet in life and grace:They now go singly, yet my voice all own;And, where I send, not one but finds its place.There too, as I perceive, such welcome sweetThey ever find, that none returns again,But still delightedly with her remain.My grief is from the eyes, each morn to meet—Not the fair scenes my soul so long'd to see—Toil for my weary limbs and tears for me.
Macgregor.

Form: 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