Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

The House of Life. Sonnet 23. Love's Baubles

I stood where Love in brimming armfuls bore
Slight wanton flowers and foolish toys of fruit:
And round him ladies thronged in warm pursuit,
Fingered and lipped and proffered the strange store.
And from one hand the petal and the core
Savored of sleep; and cluster and curled shoot
Seemed from another hand like shame's salute,--
Gifts that I felt my cheek was blushing for.

At last Love bade my Lady give the same:
And as I looked, the dew was light thereon;
And as I took them, at her touch they shone
With inmost heaven-hue of the heart of flame.
And then Love said: "Lo! when the hand is hers,
Follies of love are love's true ministers."

1. At Issue
2. The House of Life. Sonnet 89. The Trees of the Garden
3. The House of Life. Sonnet 27. Heart's Compass
4. The House of Life. Sonnet 32. Equal Troth
5. The House of Life. Sonnet 95. The Vase of Life

Print

1844 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version