| Poems by Women |
Sonnets from the Portuguese v
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 curving point,--what bitter wrong
Can the
earth do us, that we should not long
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, Beloved--where the unfit
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.
From: Quiller-Couch, Arthur.
The Oxford Book of Verse. (1900)
This poet:
[Author index]
This collection assembled by Jone Johnson Lewis.
Collection © 1999-2002 Jone Johnson Lewis.
Citing poems from these pages:
| Author. "Poem Title." Women's History: Poems by Women. Jone Johnson Lewis, editor. URL: (date of logon) |
