Love
Madrigale II (In Life): A Love Journey--Danger in the Path--He Turns Back
Translated by Major Macgregor (in Bohn, 1879) · From To Laura in Life
Bright in whose face Love's conquering ensign stream'd,
A foreign fair so won me, young and vain,
That of her sex all others worthless seem'd:
Her as I follow'd o'er the verdant plain,
I heard a loud voice speaking from afar,
"How lost in these lone woods his footsteps are!"
Then paused I, and, beneath the tall beech shade,
All wrapt in thought, around me well survey'd,
Till, seeing how much danger block'd my way,
Homeward I turn'd me though at noon of day.
Cite this poem
MLA
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Madrigale II (In Life): A Love Journey--Danger in the Path--He Turns Back.” Translated by Major Macgregor. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/53/.
Chicago
Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch). “Madrigale II (In Life): A Love Journey--Danger in the Path--He Turns Back.” Translated by Major Macgregor. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/petrarch/53/.
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More by Francesco Petrarca (Petrarch)
- Madrigale I (In Life): Anything That Reminds Him of Laura Renews His Torments
- Canzone XVI (In Life): To the Princes of Italy, Exhorting Them to Set Her Free
- Sonnet CLXVIII (In Life): He Regrets Having Returned Her Glove
- Sonnet VII (In Death): He Endeavours to Find Peace in the Thought That She is in Heaven
- Sonnet LXXV (In Death): He Directs All His Thoughts to Heaven, Where Laura Awaits and Beckons Him