Amor m'à posto come segno a strale

Canzoniere #133 (CXXXIII)

Poetic form: sonnet

Amor m'à posto come segno a strale, come al sol neve, come cera al foco, et come nebbia al vento; et son già roco, donna, mercé chiamando, et voi non cale. Da gli occhi vostri uscio 'l colpo mortale, contra cui non mi val tempo né loco; da voi sola procede, et parvi un gioco, il sole e 'l foco e 'l vento ond'io son tale. I pensier' son saette, e 'l viso un sole, e 'l desir foco; e 'nseme con quest'arme mi punge Amor, m'abbaglia et mi distrugge; et l'angelico canto et le parole, col dolce spirto ond'io non posso aitarme, son l'aura inanzi a cui mia vita fugge.

Love placed me as a target for his arrow, like snow in sunlight, or wax in the fire, like a cloud in the wind: and I am hoarse already, Lady, calling for your mercy: and you indifferent. The mortal blow issued from your eyes, against which no time or place helps me: from you alone proceed, and it seems to you a game, the sun and wind and fire that make me so. Your thoughts are arrows, and your face the sun, and desire is fire: with which joint weapons Love pierces me, dazzles me and melts me: and your angelic singing and your speech, with your sweet spirit from which I've no defence, are the breeze (l'aura) before which my life flies.

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All translations copyrighted by A.S. Kline, and are used with explicit permission.

Composer	Title	Subtitle	Language	Parts	Files
Perissone Cambio (c.1520-c.1562)	Amor m’à posto come segno a strale	Prima parte	italian	5	Score + parts
Perissone Cambio (c.1520-c.1562)	I pensier’ son saette, e ’l viso un sole	Seconda parte	italian	5	Score + parts