English Poetry II: From Collins to Fitzgerald.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 596. Sonnets from the Portuguese |
| | | XIX |
| | | Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806–1861) |
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| THE SOUL’S Rialto hath its merchandise; | |
| I barter curl for curl upon that mart, | |
| And from my poet’s forehead to my heart | |
| Receive this lock which outweighs argosies,— | |
| As purply black, as erst to Pindar’s eyes | 5 |
| The dim purpureal tresses gloomed athwart | |
| The nine white Muse-brows. For this counterpart, | |
| The bay-crown’s shade, Belovèd, I surmise, | |
| Still lingers on thy curl, it is so black! | |
| Thus, with a fillet of smooth-kissing breath, | 10 |
| I tie the shadows safe from gliding back, | |
| And lay the gift where nothing hindereth; | |
| Here on my heart, as on thy brow, to lack | |
| No natural heat till mine grows cold in death. | |
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