Love
Sonnet CLVII (In Life): The Vision of the Fawn
Translated by Major Macgregor (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Life
Beneath a laurel, two fair streams between,
At early sunrise of the opening year,
A milk-white fawn upon the meadow green,
Of gold its either horn, I saw appear;
So mild, yet so majestic, was its mien,
I left, to follow, all my labours here,
As miners after treasure, in the keen
Desire of new, forget the old to fear.
"Let none impede"--so, round its fair neck, run
The words in diamond and topaz writ--
"My lord to give me liberty sees fit."
And now the sun his noontide height had won
When I, with weary though unsated view,
Fell in the stream--and so my vision flew.
Cite this poem
MLA
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CLVII (In Life): The Vision of the Fawn.” Translated by Major Macgregor. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/189/.
Chicago
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Sonnet CLVII (In Life): The Vision of the Fawn.” Translated by Major Macgregor. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/189/.
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More by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch)
- Sonnet XXXVI (In Life): Some Have Wept for Their Worst Enemies, but Laura Deigns Him Not a Single Tear
- Sonnet XCV (In Life): Though He is Unhappy, His Love Remains Ever Unchanged
- Sonnet CLXI (In Life): Journeying to Visit Laura, He Feels Renewed Ardour as He Approaches
- Sonnet I (In Death): On the Announcement of the Death of Laura
- Sonnet LXVII (In Death): Her True Worth Was Known Only to Him and to Heaven