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Second Canzone

A lady, youthful and compassionate,
Much graced with qualities of gentleness,
Who where I called on Death was standing near,
Beholding in my eyes my grievous state,
And hearing babbled words of emptiness,
Began to weep aloud in sudden fear.
And other women, being made aware
Of my condition by the one who cried,
Dismissed her from my side,
And drew, to rally me, about my bed.
'Wake from your sleep,' one said;
And one: 'What has bereft you of all cheer?'
My strange illusion then I put aside,
Calling the name of her for whom I sighed.

My voice, by grief made weak, so softly came,
So broken by the sobs which anguished me,
Only my heart her name could understand.
Despite my aspect all imbued with shame,
Which in my countenance was plain to see
I turned towards them at my Lord's command.
When they then saw me, of all colour drained,
They spoke as if they feared that I was dead.
'Oh, help him in his need!'
Gently they urged each other to the task,
And often they would ask:
'What did you see that left you so unmanned?'
Then when I was a little comforted
'Ladies, to you I'll speak of it,' I said.

'As thinking of my frail life I lay
And how its brief duration is as naught,
Love, dwelling in my heart, began to grieve;
At which my soul was filled with such dismay
That, sighing, I lamented in my thought:
"My lady, too, one day this life must leave."
Such desolation then my mind did cleave
I closed my eyes, lost in despondency.
In their perplexity
My spirits scattered and went wandering.
Then vain imagining,
Far from all truth, such as wild fancies weave,
Showed women's faces looming angrily,
Repeating "Die! You too, you too will die!"'

'Then many fearful things my eyes did greet
In the delusive dream which held me fast.
I seemed to be - the place I did not know -
Where women all dishevelled in the street,
Some shedding tears, and others wailing, passed.
Like fiery arrows flew their words of woe.
Across the sun a darkness seemed to grow.
The stars came out and from their heavenly wold
They dropped tears, as of old.
Birds flying in the air fell dead; earth shook;
And with a pallid look
A man appeared and to me whispered low:
"What are you doing? Have you not been told?
Your lovely lady's lying dead and cold."'

'My eyes, with tears suffused, to heaven lifting,
I saw, appearing like a shower of manna,
Angels returning to the realms above.
Ahead of them a little cloud was drifting,
And as they followed it all cried Hosanna:
No more they sang than this I tell you of.
Then to reveal the mystery came Love,
Saying to me, "Our lady come and see."
Still in my fantasy,
He brought me where I saw her lying dead,
And gathered round her bed
Women I saw who veiled her in a robe.
With her, in truth, was such humility
She seemed to say, "Peace has been granted me."'

'Sorrow induced in me such humbleness,
When all humility in her I'd seen,
That I could say, "Sweet Death, I'll cherish thee,
For thou art now a thing of graciousness
Since in my lady's bosom thou hast been,
And wilt compassionate, not cruel, be.
So much I long to join thy company
That, see, already death-like I appear
And my heart bids: draw near."
Then I departed, every sad rite done,
And when I was alone,
Looking on high, I said: "Blessed is he,
Fair soul, who may your goodness gaze upon."
Then at your words I woke, my vision flown.'