Petrarch's Sonnet #62 "Father in Heaven"

Prose paraphrase

Father in heaven, after each lost day,

Each night spent raving with that fierce desire

Which in my heart has kindle fire

Seeing your acts adorned for my dismay;

A

B

B

A

Father in heaven, after each lost day of my unrequited love and each night spent raving with the fierce desire in my heart which has kindled into fire, your sacrifices seems to adorn my unredeeming passion.

Grant henceforth that I turn, within your light

To another life and deeds more truly fair,

So having spread to no avail the snare

My bitter foe might hold it in despite.

A

B

B

A

Henceforth, please grant my with Your grace that I may turn to another life (Laura) and more truly fair deeds. In this way, my bitter passion might hold my heart in despite because it has spread its snare for me in vain.

The eleventh year, my Lord, has now come round

Since I was yoked beneath the heavy trace

That on the meekest weights most cruelly.

C

D

E

My Lord, eleven years have passed since I first met Laura. From then on, I have been bound beneath the heavy trace of you. And Love binds the meekest person most cruelly.

Pity the abject plight where I am found;

Return my straying thoughts to a nobler place;

Show them this day you were on Calvary.

C

D

E

My Lord, please pity my unworthy sorrow, and return my straying thoughts to a more worthy place; and show to my passion that You, too was on the Cross.