I have not seen you, lady, Poem by Francesco Petrarch

I have not seen you, lady,

Rating: 5.0

‘Lassare il velo o per sole o per ombra'

I have not seen you, lady,
leave off your veil in sun or shadow,
since you knew that great desire in myself
that all other wishes in the heart desert me.
While I held the lovely thoughts concealed,
that make the mind desire death,
I saw your face adorned with pity:
but when Love made you wary of me,
then blonde hair was veiled,
and loving glances gathered to themselves.
That which I most desired in you is taken from me:
the veil so governs me
that to my death, and by heat and cold,
the sweet light of your lovely eyes is shadowed.

Translated by: A. S. Kline

COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Kumarmani Mahakul 21 July 2017

Euphemistically painted. Thanks for composition and for translation. Congratulation for the poem of the day.

0 3 Reply
Bernard F. Asuncion 21 July 2017

Such a nice and interesting poem... Thanks for posting....

0 3 Reply
Sayyeda Insha Rani 21 July 2017

Very nice poem.

0 1 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 21 July 2017

the veil so governs me that to my death, and by heat and cold, the sweet light of your lovely eyes is shadowed.... touching expression. Beautiful poem. Thanks for sharing and congratulation for the poem of the day.

0 1 Reply
Adeeb Alfateh 03 August 2019

the veil so governs me that to my death, and by heat and cold, the sweet light of your lovely eyes is shadowed great and sweetly written

0 0 Reply
Mahtab Bangalee 03 August 2019

when Love made you wary of me, then blonde hair was veiled, ..//// excellent

0 0 Reply
Seamus O Brian 21 July 2017

Another beautiful woman, and another pining heart. I suppose there will always be sufficient beautiful women on hand to keep lonely pens penning plaintive poems. Hopefully Frankie's pen stirred more in his object's heart than 'Very nice poem....thanks for sharing' but after one more go 'round, his words actually do not stir much more in me than a curiosity as to whether he earned a look behind the veil. Of course, in Italian, even the phrase, 'Where's the cat? ' sounds quite romantic.

1 1 Reply
Susan Williams 21 July 2017

It was easy to read- -but I wonder if anybody knows if A.S. Kline did a faithful translation.

0 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 21 July 2017

Your veil! ! Thanks for sharing.

0 1 Reply
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