What does this line mean: "though the bow's unbent, the wound bleeds on

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Question:

This is a poem by an Italian poet, Petrarch, and I am wondering what does the very last sentence mean:

"She used to let her golden hair fly free!.
For the wind to toy and tangle and molest;
Her eyes were brighter than the radiant west!.
(Seldom they shine so now!.) I used to see

Pity look out of those deep eyes on me!.
("It was false pity," you would now protest!.)
I had love's tinder heaped within my breast;
What wonder that the flame burnt furiously!?

She did not walk in any mortal way,
But with angelic progress; when she spoke,
Unearthly voices sang in unison!.

She seemed divine among the dreary folk
Of earth!. You say she is not so today!?
Well, though the bow's unbent, the wound bleeds on!."

Is there a special meaning to it!? Thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

in Italy,, when people fall in love,, they say that the person is hit by a thunderbolt or by the cupid's arrow

now, in the given poem, the line is
Well, though the bow's unbent, the wound bleeds on!."

the poet gives us a hint that she didn't love him (it was a false pity)

normally when a person hits an arrow,, he bends the bow and releases the arrow
but when its unbent,, he cant release the arrow

but here, the wound is already given by the false love
so the poet is trying to convey the following message

its a wound of love
even if the bow(cupid's) is unbent now,,the wound bleeds on
the wound of love is dangerous than a physical wound

he showed us how much he loved her and how much pain he felt after thatWww@QuestionHome@Com

She's not in love with him any more though she has put an arrow through his heart and he is still suffering!.Www@QuestionHome@Com