Famous Petrarch Poems by Famous Poets
These are examples of famous Petrarch poems written by some of the greatest and most-well-known modern and classical poets. PoetrySoup is a great educational poetry resource of famous petrarch poems. These examples illustrate what a famous petrarch poem looks like and its form, scheme, or style (where appropriate).
See also:
by
Francesco Petrarch
[Pg 145] SONNET CXVI. Non Tesin, Po, Varo, Arno, Adige e Tebro. HE EXTOLS THE LAUREL AND ITS FAVOURITE STREAM. Not all the streams that water the bright earth,Not all the trees to which its breast gives birth,Can cooling drop or healing balm impartTo slack the fire which scorches...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CXVII. Che fai, alma? che pensi? avrem mai pace? DIALOGUE OF THE POET WITH HIS HEART. P. What actions fire thee, and what musings fill?Soul! is it peace, or truce, or war eterne? H. Our lot I know not, but, as I discern,Her bright eyes favour not our cherish'd ill....Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CXL. Mirando 'l sol de' begli occhi sereno. THE SWEETS AND BITTERS OF LOVE. Marking of those bright eyes the sun sereneWhere reigneth Love, who mine obscures and grieves,My hopeless heart the weary spirit leavesOnce more to gain its paradise terrene;Then, finding full of bitter-sweet the scene,And in the...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
[Pg 9] SONNET X. Gloriosa Colonna, in cui s' appoggia. TO STEFANO COLONNA THE ELDER, INVITING HIM TO THE COUNTRY. Glorious Colonna! still the strength and stayOf our best hopes, and the great Latin nameWhom power could never from the true right waySeduce by flattery or by terror tame:Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XXXV. Il figliuol di Latona avea già nove. THE GRIEF OF PHŒBUS AT THE LOSS OF HIS LOVE. Nine times already had Latona's sonLook'd from the highest balcony of heavenFor her, who whilom waked his sighs in vain,And sighs as vain now wakes in other breasts;Then seeking wearily, nor knowing...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XI. Se la mia vita dall' aspro tormento. HE HOPES THAT TIME WILL RENDER HER MORE MERCIFUL. If o'er each bitter pang, each hidden throeSadly triumphant I my years drag on,Till even the radiance of those eyes is gone,Lady, which star-like now illume thy brow;And silver'd are those locks of...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XXVI. Soleasi nel mio cor star bella e viva. SINCE HER DEATH, NOTHING IS LEFT TO HIM BUT GRIEF. She stood within my heart, warm, young, alone,As in a humble home a lady bright;By her last flight not merely am I grownMortal, but dead, and she an angel quite.A soul...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
[Pg 302] SONNET LXXVI. Donna che lieta col Principio nostro. HE CONJURES LAURA, BY THE PURE LOVE HE EVER BORE HER, TO OBTAIN FOR HIM A SPEEDY ADMISSION TO HER IN HEAVEN. Lady, in bliss who, by our Maker's feet,As suited for thine excellent life alone,Art now enthroned in high...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CCVI. Il mal mi preme, e mi spaventa il peggio. TO A FRIEND, IN LOVE LIKE HIMSELF, HE CAN GIVE NO ADVICE BUT TO RAISE HIS SOUL TO GOD. Evil oppresses me and worse dismay,To which a plain and ample way I find;Driven like thee by frantic passion, blind,Urged by harsh...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CXXX. Amor, che vedi ogni pensiero aperto. HE CARES NOT FOR SUFFERINGS, SO THAT HE DISPLEASE NOT LAURA. Love, thou who seest each secret thought display'd,And the sad steps I take, with thee sole guide;This throbbing breast, to thee thrown open wide,To others' prying barr'd, thine eyes pervade.Thou know'st what...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XI. Se lamentar augelli, o Verdi fronde. SHE IS EVER PRESENT TO HIM. If the lorn bird complain, or rustling sweepSoft summer airs o'er foliage waving slow,Or the hoarse brook come murmuring down the steep,Where on the enamell'd bank I sit belowWith thoughts of love that bid my numbers flow;Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XXIX. S' io credessi per morte essere scarco. HE PRAYS FOR DEATH, BUT IN VAIN. Had I believed that Death could set me freeFrom the anxious amorous thoughts my peace that mar,With these my own hands which yet stainless are,Life had I loosed, long hateful grown to me.Yet, for I...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CXV. Quando 'l voler, che con duo sproni ardenti. HER LOOKS BOTH COMFORT AND CHECK HIM. When, with two ardent spurs and a hard rein,Passion, my daily life who rules and leads,From time to time the usual law exceedsThat calm, at least in part, my spirits may gain,It findeth her...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET II. Per far una leggiadra sua vendetta. HOW HE BECAME THE VICTIM OF LOVE. For many a crime at once to make me smart,And a delicious vengeance to obtain,Love secretly took up his bow again,As one who acts the cunning coward's part;My courage had retired within my heart,There to...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CXXIX. Lieti flori e felici, e ben nate erbe. HE ENVIES EVERY SPOT THAT SHE FREQUENTS. Gay, joyous blooms, and herbage glad with showers,O'er which my pensive fair is wont to stray!Thou plain, that listest her melodious lay,As her fair feet imprint thy waste of flowers!Ye shrubs so trim; ye...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XVII. Nè mai pietosa madre al caro figlio. HER COUNSEL ALONE AFFORDS HIM RELIEF. Ne'er did fond mother to her darling son,Or zealous spouse to her belovèd mate,Sage counsel give, in perilous estate,With such kind caution, in such tender tone,As gives that fair one, who, oft looking downOn my...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CXLVIII. Amor fra l' orbe una leggiadra rete. HE COMPARES HIMSELF TO A BIRD CAUGHT IN A NET. Love 'mid the grass beneath a laurel green—The plant divine which long my flame has fed,Whose shade for me less bright than sad is seen—A cunning net of gold and pearls had spread:Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SESTINA VI. Anzi tre di creata era alma in parte. THE HISTORY OF HIS LOVE; AND PRAYER FOR HELP. Life's three first stages train'd my soul in partTo place its care on objects high and new,And to disparage what men often prize,But, left alone, and of her fatal courseAs yet uncertain,...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XXVII. Apollo, s' ancor vive il bel desio. HE COMPARES HER TO A LAUREL, WHICH HE SUPPLICATES APOLLO TO DEFEND. O Phœbus, if that fond desire remains,Which fired thy breast near the Thessalian wave;If those bright tresses, which such pleasure gave,Through lapse of years thy memory not disdains;From sluggish frosts,...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SESTINA I. A qualunque animale alberga in terra. NIGHT BRINGS HIM NO REST. HE IS THE PREY OF DESPAIR. To every animal that dwells on earth,Except to those which have in hate the sun,Their time of labour is while lasts the day;But when high heaven relumes its thousand stars,This seeks his...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
[Pg 93] SONNET LXXV. Io son dell' aspectar omai sì vinto. HAVING ONCE SURRENDERED HIMSELF, HE IS COMPELLED EVER TO ENDURE THE PANGS OF LOVE. Weary with expectation's endless round,And overcome in this long war of sighs,I hold desires in hate and hopes despise,And every tie wherewith my breast...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET LXI. Io non fu' d' amar voi lassato unquanco. UNLESS LAURA RELENT, HE IS RESOLVED TO ABANDON HER. Yet was I never of your love aggrieved,Nor never shall while that my life doth last:But of hating myself, that date is past;And tears continual sore have me wearied:I will not yet...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET CLXXV. Non dall' Ispano Ibero all' Indo Idaspe. HIS WOES ARE UNEXAMPLED. From Spanish Ebro to Hydaspes old,Exploring ocean in its every nook,[Pg 191]From the Red Sea to the cold Caspian shore,In earth, in heaven one only Phœnix dwells.What fortunate, or what disastrous birdOmen'd my fate?...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
CANZONE XI.[R] Mai non vo' più cantar, com' io soleva. ENIGMAS. Never more shall I sing, as I have sung:For still she heeded not; and I was scorn'd:So e'en in loveliest spots is trouble found.Unceasingly to sigh is no relief.Already on the Alp snow gathers round:Already...Read more of this...
by
Francesco Petrarch
SONNET XXV. S' io avessi pensato che sì care. HIS POEMS WERE WRITTEN ONLY TO SOOTHE HIS OWN GRIEF: OTHERWISE HE WOULD HAVE LABOURED TO MAKE THEM MORE DESERVING OF THE FAME THEY HAVE ACQUIRED. Had I e'er thought that to the world so dearThe echo of my sighs would be in rhyme,I...Read more of this...
Dont forget to view our wonderful member Petrarch poems.