The Poetry of Petrarch

Discover the timeless beauty and enduring influence of Petrarch's love poetry in this fresh, approachable translation by David Young.

Petrarch's Rime in vita e morta di Madonna Laura, popularly known as his songbook, is a cycle of poems that record the speaker's unrequited obsession with a woman named Laura. By turns witty, languorous, and fawning, these tightly composed yet ornate poems inspired the greatest love poets of the English language, from Spenser and Shakespeare to the present day.

Born in Tuscany and raised in the south of France, Petrarch lived his life in service to the church, traveled widely, and was revered as a model man of letters. His greatest gift to posterity was his innovative sonnet form, which became known as the "Petrarchan sonnet."

In David Young's skillful hands, Petrarch's poetry is refreshingly readable and approachable, bringing the wheel of influence full circle. This idiomatic version of Petrarch's timeless work is a must-read for lovers of classical poetry, Italian literature, and the enduring art of the love poem.