<h2 id="c17">BALLADE.</h2>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I found myself one day all, all alone,</p>
<p class="t0">For pastime in a field with blossoms strewn.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I do not think the world a field could show</p>
<p class="t">With herbs of perfume so surpassing rare;</p>
<p class="t0">But when I passed beyond the green hedge-row,</p>
<p class="t">A thousand flowers around me flourished fair,</p>
<p class="t">White, pied and crimson, in the summer air;</p>
<p class="t0">Among the which I heard a sweet bird’s tone.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I found myself one day all, all alone,</p>
<p class="t0">For pastime in a field with blossoms strewn.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">Her song it was so tender and so clear</p>
<p class="t">That all the world listened with love; then I</p>
<p class="t0">With stealthy feet a-tiptoe drawing near,</p>
<p class="t">Her golden head and golden wings could spy,</p>
<p class="t">Her plumes that flashed like rubies ’neath the sky,</p>
<p class="t0">Her crystal beak and throat and bosom’s zone.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I found myself one day all, all alone,</p>
<p class="t0">For pastime in a field with blossoms strewn.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">Fain would I snare her, smit with mighty love;</p>
<p class="t">But arrow-like she soared, and through the air</p>
<p class="t0">Fled to her nest upon the boughs above;</p>
<p class="t">Wherefore to follow her is all my care,</p>
<p class="t">For haply I might lure her by some snare</p>
<p class="t0">Forth from the woodland wild where she is flown.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I found myself one day all, all alone,</p>
<p class="t0">For pastime in a field with blossoms strewn.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">Yea, I might spread some net or woven wile;</p>
<p class="t">But since of singing she doth take such pleasure,</p>
<p class="t0">Without or other art or other guile</p>
<p class="t">I seek to win her with a tuneful measure;</p>
<p class="t">Therefore in singing spend all my leisure,</p>
<p class="t0">To make by singing this sweet bird my own.</p>
</div>
<div class="verse">
<p class="t0">I found myself one day all, all alone,</p>
<p class="t0">For pastime in a field with blossoms strewn.</p>
<p class="lr">—Angelo Poliziano, (1454-1494.)</p>
</div>
<div class="pagenum" id="Page_74">74</div>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />
1 of 2
2 of 2
Previous
Next
Update Required
To play the media you will need to either update your browser to a recent version or update your Flash plugin.