The Complete Poems of Michelangelo

Contents......Page 6
Preface......Page 18
I. The Long Beginning - 1475-1532......Page 25
3. I was happy, with fate favoring, to abide,......Page 32
5. A goiter it seems I got from this backward craning......Page 33
8. God, 0 God, 0 God, how can I be......Page 34
11. How much less torment to breathe out my soul......Page 35
14. The Day and the Night speak, and what they say is:......Page 36
17. Rancorous heart, cruel, pitiless, though showing......Page 37
20. Sweeter your face than grapes are, stewed to mush;......Page 38
21. Once born, death's our destination.......Page 39
22. What's to become of me? What's this you're doing?
......Page 40
23. I was, for years and years now, wounded, killed......Page 41
25. When with a clanking chain a master locks......Page 42
28. Because there's never a time I'm not enchanted......Page 43
31. Love in your eyes? No; life and death are there......Page 44
33. Were it true that, besides my own, another's arms......Page 45
35. The eyelid, shadowing, doesn't interfere......Page 46
39. For a wound from the searing arrows Love lets fly......Page 47
41. O noble soul, in whom, as mirrored, show......Page 48
43. My reason, out of sorts with me, deplores,......Page 49
45. It well may be, so vehement my sighing,......Page 50
47. When the occasioner of my many a sigh......Page 51
51. Alas! Alas! for the way I've been betrayed......Page 52
53. Who rides by night on horseback, come the day......Page 53
54. I do believe, if you were made of stone,......Page 54
57. If I'm more alive because love burns and chars me,......Page 57
II. Three Loves ~ 1532-1547......Page 59
59.  If pure devotion, passion without stain,......Page 70
61. If, when it caught my eye first, I'd been bolder,......Page 71
63. So fond is fire of the frigid stone it waits......Page 72
66. Maybe, so I'd look kindly on souls in need,......Page 73
67. A new and more commendable delight......Page 74
68. Then there's this giant - tall! So tall he can't......Page 77
70. O cruel star, or say instead, cruel will,......Page 79
71. I have your letter, thank you, as received,......Page 80
73. Now that I'm banned and routed from the fire......Page 81
76. Whether or not the light I long for, sent......Page 82
78. From grief I cherished to a rueful laugh,......Page 83
80. I really believed, that first great day when, awed,......Page 84
82. Not even, in dreams sent soaring, can I imagine......Page 85
84. From ink, from pen in hand we see outflow......Page 86
85. Having, my friend, your letter here in hand,......Page 87
86. Already burdened with a heavy heart,......Page 88
87. I wish I'd want what I don't want, Lord, at all.......Page 90
89. Through your fine eyes I see such mellow light......Page 91
91. So I can best endure......Page 92
93. Should the senses' rapturous burning override......Page 93
95. Give back to my eyes their flow, 0 spring, 0 river......Page 94
98. Why ease the tension of this wild desire......Page 95
100. When heaven confirmed your brilliance, most of all,......Page 96
102. O night, comforting night, dark though you are,......Page 97
104. The One Who made, and from utter nothing too,......Page 98
106. From heaven it ventured forth, there must return,......Page 99
109. Not always so prized and cherished by us all......Page 100
112. For a safe haven, for escape at last,......Page 101
114. Easily you confound......Page 102
117. If right desire takes wing......Page 103
119. From the first whimper to the expiring sigh......Page 104
121. Just as you cannot not be lovely here,......Page 105
123. The more it seems I agonize, the more......Page 106
125. Such wealth of promise lies......Page 107
127. Not death so much, but its terror rescues me,......Page 108
129. By light more brilliant of a star more bright......Page 109
132. Whenever my past unrolls before these eyes......Page 110
134. O blessed souls, who high in heaven delight......Page 111
136. Flooded, the soul pours out......Page 112
139. In lovelier and crueller flesh than yours,......Page 113
141. If I'm to believe my eyes now, your response......Page 114
144. At times I project ahead......Page 115
146. Looks thrown away on others......Page 116
148. I'd feel the more secure,......Page 117
ISO. Great mercy, my lady, as likely as great pain......Page 118
153. A mould's not alone in this:......Page 119
I55. Your kindness to me, and the ways of fate I......Page 120
157. Your merciful, sweet care......Page 121
159. To be less unworthy, my exalted lady,......Page 122
161. What file's incessant bite......Page 123
163. Hating myself, the more I run away,......Page 124
166. My lady, these eyes see vividly - far, near -......Page 125
168. Because there's half of me which,
......Page 126
171. Among the memory of all lovely things,......Page 127
173. If a joyous heart makes beautiful the face......Page 128
175. So, Love, it hasn't healed, not even the least......Page 129
178. Her beauty's alive in heaven! I believe her......Page 130
184. My name meant I"Arms." But little help to me......Page 131
190. Here I'm thought dead. Alive, I comforted......Page 132
193. His beautiful eyes! I hardly saw them, only......Page 133
198. If it could be, to revive my life once more,......Page 134
204. I'm dearer dead than ever I was, before......Page 135
210. Peace, life - he found them in my open eyes.......Page 136
216. Within this tomb our handsome Braccio's laid.......Page 137
222. Death stretched an arm, stole fruit not ripened yet......Page 138
228. Earth lends us flesh I heaven lends the soul, the two......Page 139
231. Too late for Love to set my heart aflame,......Page 140
233. If, vulnerable from early youth, a heart......Page 141
235. A man within a woman - no, I'd say......Page 142
238. On earth, it's no unworthy soul that nurses......Page 143
241. Through many a year and many a vain assay......Page 144
243. Whenever remembrance of the one I love......Page 145
245. "Say the face I'm speaking of now, hers I mean,......Page 146
247. To sleep, even more be made of stone: how these......Page 147
249. "Your beauty an angel's, Lady, you were meant......Page 148
251 .There's pleasure in great favors done, but hidden......Page 149
253. Had I, when young, been leery of the glow......Page 150
255. Your lovely eyes, now bent......Page 151
257. Why only at long last, why next to neve......Page 152
259. No question but, when my desire's aflame,......Page 153
261. Love long delayed comes kindly, by fortune's favor,......Page 154
263. A woman's beauty, new......Page 155
265. So it wouldn't need to retrieve the total sum......Page 156
266. What wonder that - seeing how, beside your fire,......Page 157
III. The Four Last Things ~ 1547-1564......Page 159
267. I'm packaged in here like the pulp in fruit......Page 166
268. Because age steals away......Page 167
272. Bring back the day the reins hung slack and free......Page 168
274. Oh let me see You everywhere I go!......Page 169
276. Whatever the eye finds lovely, in a flash......Page 170
280. Confused, with itself at odds, soul fails to find......Page 171
284. If, in Your name, some image comes to mind,......Page 172
288. The world and all its fables long ago......Page 173
290. Rid of this nagging nattering cadaver,......Page 174
293. Burdened with years and crapulous with sin,......Page 175
295. Assured of death, of its timing, though, not so;......Page 176
298. With no less joy than grief and consternation......Page 177
300. By merit of grace, the cross, and all we've suffered,......Page 178
302. One way remains to loose me yet, dear Lord,......Page 179
The Text of the Poems......Page 180
Translating Poetry......Page 182
Acknowledgments......Page 188
Notes......Page 190
Bibliography......Page 208