A Portrait. Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861). Poems of Home: I. About Children. Bliss Carman, et al., eds. 1904. The World's Best Poetry. I. Of Home: of Friendship

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Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume I. Of Home: of Friendship. 1904.

Poems of Home: I. About Children

A Portrait

Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861)

	“One name is Elizabeth.”
	—BEN JONSON.

I WILL paint her as I see her.

Ten times have the lilies blown

Since she looked upon the sun.

And her face is lily-clear,

Lily-shaped, and dropped in duty

To the law of its own beauty.

Oval cheeks encolored faintly,

Which a trail of golden hair

Keeps from fading off to air;

And a forehead fair and saintly,

Which two blue eyes undershine,

Like meek prayers before a shrine.

Face and figure of a child,—

Though too calm, you think, and tender,

For the childhood you would lend her.

Yet child-simple, undefiled,

Frank, obedient,—waiting still

On the turnings of your will.

Moving light, as all your things,

As young birds, or early wheat,

When the wind blows over it.

Only, free from flutterings

Of loud mirth that scorneth measure,—

Taking love for her chief pleasure.

Choosing pleasures, for the rest,

Which come softly,—just as she,

When she nestles at your knee.

Quiet talk she liketh best,

In a bower of gentle looks,—

Watering flowers, or reading books.

And her voice, it murmurs lowly,

As a silver stream may run,

Which yet feels, you feel, the sun.

And her smile, it seems half holy,

As if drawn from thoughts more far

Than our common jestings are.

And if any poet knew her,

He would sing of her with falls

Used in lovely madrigals.

And if any painter drew her,

He would paint her unaware

With a halo round the hair.

And if reader read the poem,

He would whisper, “You have done a

Consecrated little Una.”

And a dreamer (did you show him

That same picture) would exclaim,

“’T is my angel, with a name!”

And a stranger, when he sees her

In the street even, smileth stilly,

Just as you would at a lily.

And all voices that address her

Soften, sleeken every word,

As if speaking to a bird.

And all fancies yearn to cover

The hard earth whereon she passes,

With the thymy-scented grasses.

And all hearts do pray, “God love her!”—

Ay, and always, in good sooth,

We may all be sure HE DOTH.

CONTENTS · BOOK CONTENTS · BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

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