Littell's Living Age/Volume 155/Issue 1999/"Eu cantarei de amor tao docemente"

by Camoens

"Eu cantarei de amor tao docemente"

(A Proëmium to the love-songs: Petrarch, No. 101.)

My song of Love I will so sweetly sing,
     In such fair concord of concerted phrase,
     That twice a thousand chances Love displays
Shall breasts unmovèd with emotion wring.

I'll so do Love new Life to all shall bring,
     Limning nice secrets in a thousand ways,
     Soft angers, sighs that yearn for bygone days,
Foolhardy daring, Absence and her sting.

Yet, Ladye, of that honest open scorn
     Shown by your aspect, rigorously bland,
          I must content me saying minim part:

To sing the graces which your gest adorn,
     Your lofty composition marvel-plan'd,
          Here lack me Genius, Lere, and Poet-art.