The poem describes the speaker's inner turmoil and conflicting desires. They are torn between a noble and refined aspect (Aspro Core E Selvaggio) and a crude and violent one (E Cruda Voglia). The speaker acknowledges that these opposing forces coexist within them, causing anguish and distress.
By Francesco Petrarca · First published 1374 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Sonnet