The poem is composed in the Petrarchan sonnet style, with two stanzas in the octave of four lines each and two stanzas in the sestet of three lines each. The rhyming system is ABCB, DEFE, GGHIIJ. The meter follows the pattern ABBA CDCD EEFF GGHHIIJJ. The poem is about a man who has fallen asleep in the valley after a long day's work and now needs to be awakened by the sun rising. It is an example of a parable or fable. It was written at some point between 1350 and 1400 and first published in 1450. The poet who created it was called Boniface VIII. He was pope from 1294 to 1303. During his reign the Holy Land came under the control of France and Italy, and when he died the church was engulfed in controversy about new ideas about theology that were being debated throughout Europe. Petrarch was born in 1130 and became famous for writing poems that were popular at the time. His father was not well off and when he died in 1157, Petrarch had to leave school and help support his family. At some point he decided to try his hand at writing poetry himself. By 1160 he had become one of the most important poets of his time and was admired for his elegant style.