An Italian Love Sonnet

It was on that day when the sun's ray
was darkened in pity for its Maker,
that I was captured, and did not defend myself,
because your lovely eyes had bound me, Lady.

It did not seem to me to be a time to guard myself
against Love's blows: so I went on
confident, unsuspecting; from that, my troubles
started, amongst the public sorrows.

Love discovered me all weaponless,
and opened the way to the heart through the eyes,
which are made the passageways and doors of tears:

so that it seems to me it does him little honour
to wound me with his arrow, in that state,
he not showing his bow at all to you who are armed.

~

Era il giorno ch'al sol si scoloraro
per la pietà del suo factore i rai,
quando i' fui preso, et non me ne guardai,
ché i be' vostr'occhi, donna, mi legaro.

Tempo non mi parea da far riparo
contra colpi d'Amor: però m'andai
secur, senza sospetto; onde i miei guai
nel commune dolor s'incominciaro.

Trovommi Amor del tutto disarmato
et aperta la via per gli occhi al core,
che di lagrime son fatti uscio et varco:

però al mio parer non li fu honore
ferir me de saetta in quello stato,
a voi armata non mostrar pur l'arco.
~

Francesco Petrarch possibly the most famous Italian poet known for his collection of love sonnets, The Canzoniere, dedicated to the love of his life Laura is the inspiration behind this dimly lit and utterly raw mini photo shoot.

Emilia

A jumble of Italian random-ness

Sometimes it’s just nice to lay low, do nothing but at the same time do everything. We have been spending so much time traveling to other countries that both Jenna and I decided to stay in Florence for the remainder of the time we have here but more than half the time here is gone, 35 days left to be exact and I feel like I’m caught in a weird state of limbo.

Florence is no longer a foreign city to me, its somewhere I call home. I know my way around as if I have been living here all my life, all the ins and outs of the city, the specific manners and gestures that the culture is so adamant about, and the little things like not paying any attention to traffic signals…because Italians just walk and don’t care what is coming straight at them. I have come to know the guys that make my pizza on the corner, the man that owns the Alimentari at the bottom of our apartment building (Jenna and I have named him Paki), the old man that gives us endless amounts of gelato samples…even though we go every single day.

 And now…it’s time to slowly but surely say goodbye…it’s a weird feeling, knowing that I may never be able to spend as much time in another city as I did here. Don’t get me wrong…I miss Los Angeles, I miss my family, Brownie and my girls, those things will be eternal, but there will inevitably be an end to Florence.

Activities of the weekend: Twice Club VIP, Nightcrawling Photoshooting, Tanning at the Arno River, People(specifically boy) watching, Santa Croce(obviously…it’s a daily thing), Hiking to San Miniato Church and Piazza Michelangelo.

Emilia

Ciao Italia

Ciao 2011. I welcome you with a new vision. A new mission.  A new adventure.  Florence, Italy…from the glistening waters of the Arno River to the skyline view atop Piazzale Michelangelo. Galleria degli Uffizi and The Duomo wait to be discovered.  The open-air market of San Lorenzo where I’ll be shopping on the daily and the “vinaino” where I’ll be enjoying my glass of fine Italian vino, I just cannot wait. How can I forget paying homage to the fantabolous Italian designers, Ferragamo, Gucci, Prada, and my love Cavalli. This year I plan to live my life on the brink of everything, taking chances, and reminding myself each day of all my ambitions, nothing can hold me back. This blog is my journal to a dream come true.              

Baci e Abbracci Emilia