The Plaintive Song of a Bird Recalls to him his
The Plaintive Song of a Bird Recalls to him his own Keener Sorrow is a poem written by Francesco Petrarca in the 14th century. It is part of a larger collection known as the Canzoniere, which consists of over 300 poems. The poem itself is a sonnet that explores themes of love and loss, with the speaker reflecting on his own sorrow after hearing a bird's plaintive song.
By Francesco Petrarca · First published 1342 · Genre: Poetry, Elegy, Lyric · 341 words
First lines
Poor solitary bird, that pour'st thy lay; / Or haply mournest the sweet season gone: / As chilly night and winter hurry on, / And day-light fades and summer flies away; / If as the cares that swell thy little throat / Thou knew'st alike the woes that wound my rest.
Ah, thou wouldst house thee in this kindred breast, / And mix with mine thy melancholy note.
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The Plaintive Song of a Bird Recalls to him his own Keener Sorrow is listed on Textopian as a poem by Francesco Petrarca, dated 1342 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Francesco Petrarca
- Date: 1342 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Elegy, Lyric, Pastoral, Romantic
- Length: 341 words
- Structure: 1 section, 7 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Plaintive Song of a Bird Recalls to him his own Keener Sorrow by Francesco Petrarca
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Similar titles
- Second April Elegy by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Elegy by D. H. Lawrence
- Elegiacs by Charles Kingsley
- Soon Our Friends Perish by Robert Louis Stevenson
- Second April Elegy Before Death by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Elegy Unfinished by Dylan Thomas
Genres
- Poetry — The work is structured in verse and employs poetic devices such as rhyme and meter.
- Elegy — The themes revolve around mourning, loss, and sorrow, typical of elegiac poetry.
- Lyric — The poem expresses personal emotions and thoughts, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Pastoral — The imagery of the bird and nature elements aligns with pastoral themes.
Tags
sorrow · melancholy · nature · birdsong · reflection · loss · grief · nostalgia · poetry · emotion · memory · longing
More by Francesco Petrarca
- Fifteen sonnets of Petrarch (1350)
- Voi, Ch' Ascoltate in Rime Sparse Il Suono (1343)
- Per Far Una Leggiadra Sua Vendetta (1343)
- Era 'L Giorno Ch' Al Sol Si Scoloraro (1343)
- Quel Ch' Infinita Providenza Ed Arte (1343)
- Quand' Io Movo I Sospiri a Chiamar Voi (1344)
- Si Traviato E 'L Folle Mio Desio (1343)
- La Gola E 'L Sonno E L' Oziose Piume (1344)
- All works by Francesco Petrarca