Explore "Quando Giunse a Simon L' Alto Concetto" by Francesco Petrarca on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
HE DESIRES ONLY THAT MEMMI HAD BEEN ABLE TO IMPART SPEECH TO HIS / PORTRAIT OF LAURA.
When, at my word, the high thought fired his mind, / Within that master-hand which placed the pen, / Had but the painter, in his fair work, then / Language and intellect to beauty join'd, / Less 'neath its care my spirit since had pined, / Which worthless held what still pleased other men; / And yet so mild she seems that my fond ken / Of peace sees promise in that aspect kind.