English Poetry III: From Tennyson to Whitman.
The Harvard Classics. 1909–14. |
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| 718. Genius in Beauty |
| | | Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882) |
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| BEAUTYlike hers is genius. Not the call | |
| Of Homer’s or of Dante’s heart sublime,— | |
| Not Michael’s hand furrowing the zones of time,— | |
| Is more with compassed mysteries musical; | |
| Nay, not in Spring’s or Summer’s sweet footfall | 5 |
| More gathered gifts exuberant Life bequeathes | |
| Than doth this sovereign face, whose love-spell breathes | |
| Even from its shadowed contour on the wall. | |
| As many men are poets in their youth, | |
| But for one sweet-strung soul the wires prolong | 10 |
| Even through all change the indomitable song; | |
| So in like wise the envenomed years, whose tooth | |
| Rends shallower grace with ruin void of ruth, | |
| Upon this beauty’s power shall wreak no wrong. | |
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