Poscia Che Mia Fortuna in Forza Altrui

Name: Poscia Che Mia Fortuna in Forza Altrui
Author: Francesco Petrarca

The poem expresses the speaker's lamentation and frustration at being controlled by fortune, which is influenced by others. The speaker feels helpless and trapped, unable to change their circumstances. They acknowledge that their fate is tied to the whims of others, who can either elevate or destroy them. The poem conveys a sense of powerlessness and despair.

By Francesco Petrarca · First published 1343 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Elegy · 1,982 words

First lines

When once my will was captive by my fate, And I had lost the liberty, which late Made my life happy; I, who used before To flee from Love (as fearful deer abhor The following huntsman), suddenly became (Like all my fellow-servants) calm and tame; And view'd the travails, wrestlings, and the smart, The crooked by-paths, and the cozening art That guides the amorous flock: then whilst mine eye I cast in every corner, to espy Some ancient or modern who had proved Famous, I saw him, who had only loved Eurydice, and found out hell, to call Her dear ghost back; he named her in his fall For whom he died. Aleaeus there was known, Skilful in love and verse: Anacreon, Whose muse sung nought but love: Pindarus, he Was also there: there I might Virgil see: Many brave wits I found, some looser rhymes, By others writ, hath pleased the ancient times: Ovid was one: after Catullus came: Propertius next, his elegies the name Of Cynthia bear: Tibullus, and the young Greek poetess, who is received among The noble troop for her rare Sapphic muse.

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Poscia Che Mia Fortuna in Forza Altrui is listed on Textopian as a poem by Francesco Petrarca, dated 1343 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Francesco Petrarca
Date: 1343 CE
Language: English
Genres: Lyric Poetry, Romantic Poetry, Elegy, Philosophical Poetry, Narrative Poetry
Length: 1,982 words
Structure: 1 section, 18 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

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Similar titles

Genres

Lyric Poetry — The work is primarily a reflection on love and personal emotion, characteristic of lyric poetry.
Romantic Poetry — Themes of love, desire, and emotional turmoil are central, aligning with the romantic genre.
Elegy — The poem expresses sorrow and lamentation, particularly regarding lost love and the passage of time.
Philosophical Poetry — It explores deeper existential questions about life, fate, and the nature of love.