
The poem explores the speaker's longing for a noble and esteemed love that has been lost. The speaker describes the beloved as a precious and exquisite food that nourishes their mind and soul. They lament the loss of this love, comparing it to a delicious meal that has been taken away, leaving them with an unquenchable thirst.
By Francesco Petrarca · First published 1348 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romanticism, Philosophical Poetry · 355 words
TO SEE AND HEAR HER IS HIS GREATEST BLISS.
I feed my fancy on such noble food, / That Jove I envy not his godlike meal; / I see her -- joy invades me like a flood, / And lethe of all other bliss I feel; / I hear her -- instantly that music rare / Bids from my captive heart the fond sigh flow; / Borne by the hand of Love I know not where, / A double pleasure in one draught I know.
Renaissance Literature · Italian Poetry · Food and Drink · Culinary Arts · Medieval Culture · Nobility · Gastronomy · Literary Criticism · Poetic Forms · Sonnet Structure · Courtly Love · Chivalry
Pasco La Mente D' Un Si Nobil Cibo is listed on Textopian as a poem by Francesco Petrarca, dated 1348 CE.
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