In the next poem, in which earthly love and love of
the Madonna are again brought into juxta-position, he commends himself
"to the Virgin, the sublime mother of love, on whom all my happiness
depends." One of his poems which begins in quite an earthly strain, ends
thus:
I feel no jealousy; for he whose soul
Is filled with yearning for his heavenly love,
Has purest happiness; he is her serf,
And he has all things that his heart can crave.
But long before this, in one of his very worldly poems there is a sudden
outburst, addressed to the Madonna: "He who does not serve the Mother of
God, knows not the meaning of love." Excellent proof of this intimate
connection between earthly and Madonna love is found in the poems of the
trouvere Ruteboeuf, who calls Mary his "very sweet lady."
Lanfranc Cigala wrote genuine love-songs to the Virgin. The following
are two stanzas from one of his poems:
I worship a celestial maid,
Serene and wondrously adorned;
And all she does is well; arrayed
In noble love and gentleness.
Pages:
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272