Solo et pensoso

Francesco Petrarca(1304–1374)

Canzoniere, s. XIV

Solo et pensoso i piú deserti campivo mesurando a passi tardi et lenti,et gli occhi porto per fuggire intentiove vestigio human l’arena stampi.

Altro schermo non trovo che mi scampidal manifesto accorger de le genti,perché negli atti d’alegrezza spentidi fuor si legge com’io dentro avampi:

sì ch’io mi credo omai che monti et piaggeet fiumi et selve sappian di che tempresia la mia vita, ch’è celata altrui.

Ma pur sí aspre vie né sí selvaggecercar non so ch’Amor non venga sempreragionando con meco, et io co’llui.

From the Canzoniere (sonnet 35, 14th century), via the Italian Wikisource transcription. It keeps the medieval spelling («et», «piú»).

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About the poem

Alone and pensive, Petrarch paces with slow steps the most deserted fields, his eyes intent on fleeing any human footprint in the sand. He finds no shelter but solitude, so that people may not read in his face how he burns within.

He believes that by now only the mountains, the rivers and the woods know the temper of his life, hidden from others. And yet — the sonnet ends — there is no way so harsh or wild that Love does not always come reasoning with him, and he with Love. Solitude does not free him from love: it keeps him company. It is one of the founding sonnets of the Canzoniere.

The verse is kept in Italian. Translating it in passing would replace the work with a paraphrase of it.