Sonnet III

Petrarch

It was the morning of that blessed day

Whereon the Sun in pity veiled his glare
For the Lord’s agony, that, unaware,
I fell a captive, Lady, to the sway1
Of your swift eyes: that seemed no time to stay2
The strokes of Love: I stepped into the snare
Secure, with no suspicion: then and there
I found my cue in man’s most tragic play3.
Love caught me naked to his shaft, his sheaf4,
The entrance for his ambush and surprise
Against the heart wide open through the eyes,
The constant gate and fountain of my grief:
How craven5 so to strike me stricken so,
Yet from you fully armed conceal his bow!

It was the morning of that blessed day

On which the sun in pity not directly his glare
For the lord agony that unaware,
I become a prisoner, lady, to her control/ Influence
Of her quick eyes there seemed no time to stay
The strokes of love: I stepped into the trap
With never any suspicion
I found my signal to begin the crucifixion
Love (cupid) caught me naked to his arrow, his case
The entrance for his sudden attack and surprise
Againt the heart wide open through the eyes,
The constant opening about my fountain of grief:
how cowardly to strike me with suffering from something so unpleasent so,
Yet from you fully armed hidden his bow!

It was a shiny day

And the lord didn´t know that I was goiong to be hit with agony
SO I became a prisonare of he love/control
Her quick eyes seemd to not let me time to stay
I didn´t suspect tho
And the crucifixion began
I got attacked surprisiingly
MY heart was wide open and through the eyes
I had my consstant opening about my pile of grief
It was like a coward to strike me like that, such a suffering
So she was all armed to not fall In love, but she concealed the bow so that I didn´t know
1sway: influence; control.
2
stay: hold back; stop.
3
man’s most tragic play: the crucifixion of Christ, remembered on Good Friday.
4
 Love . . . his sheaf: Love is often personified by a young boy (like Cupid) shooting an arrow (shaft). A sheaf is a
case for carrying arrows.
5
craven: cowardly.

*Translated from Italian by Joseph Auslander.