How did Michelangelo’s poetry change during his later years?

In his later years, Michelangelo’s poetry underwent a distinct stylistic shift. While his earlier works were characterized by intricate syntax and complex ideas—often rooted in the traditions of Petrarch and the Neoplatonism he encountered in his youth—his late poems became much more direct.12

These final compositions, which were primarily sonnets, functioned essentially as religious statements or prayers. This transition toward simplicity and spiritual focus mirrored the profound personal reflection and religious devotion that marked the artist's final decades.2