Explore "In This Life of Mine" by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
Convalescing from a serious illness, she addresses the Vicereine, Señora Marquesa de Mancera, attributing to her great love her improvement even in dying
In this life of mine that ever was yours, / O divine Laura, and ever will be, / the savage Fate, determined to pursue me, / wanted to claim my mortal foot in triumph.
I was astounded by her rash daring, / for if great power lies 'neath her domain, / she no longer can wield any in mine: / you allowed me to free myself from her.
I saw the mortal, fearsome scissors open / to cut through the thread she never had spun; / oh savage, terrible Fate! I said then, / know that no one but Laura commands here; / and she, abashed, departed and sped away, / leaving me to die for you, no one but you.