English Poetry II: From Collins to Fitzgerald.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
| |
| 599. Sonnets from the Portuguese |
| | | XXII |
| | | Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) |
| |
| |
| WHEN our two souls stand up erect and strong, | |
| Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher, | |
| Until the lengthening wings break into fire | |
| At either curvèd point,—what bitter wrong | |
| Can the earth do to us, that we should not long | 5 |
| Be here contented? Think. In mounting higher, | |
| The angels would press on us and aspire | |
| To drop some golden orb of perfect song | |
| Into our deep, dear silence. Let us stay | |
| Rather on earth, Belovèd,—where the unfit | 10 |
| Contrarious moods of men recoil away | |
| And isolate pure spirits, and permit | |
| A place to stand and love in for a day, | |
| With darkness and the death-hour rounding it. | |
| |
|
|
|
