Monday, March 28, 2011

Laura by Petrarch, Translated by Morris Bishop

She used to let her golden hair fly free
    For the wind to toy and tangle and molest;
    Her eyes were brighter than the radiant west.
    (Seldom they shine so now.) I used to see
Pity look out of those deep eyes on me.
    ("It was false pity," you would now protest.)
    I had love's tinder heaped within my breast;
    What wonder that the flame burned furiously?
She did not walk in any mortal way,
    But with angelic progress; when she spoke,
    Unearthly voices sang in unison,
She seemed divine among the dreary folk
    Of earth. You say she is not so today?
    Well, though the bow's unbent, the wound bleeds on.

No comments:

Post a Comment