poems

1. SONNET FROM THE PORTUGESE BY ELIZABETH BARRET BROWNING
FIRST TIME HE KISSED ME HE BUT ONLY KISS'D THE FINGER THIS HAND WHEREWITH I WRITE AND EVER SINCE IT GREW MORE CLEAN AND WHITE SLOW TI WORLD GREETING QUICK WITH ITS OH LIST WHEN THE ANGELS SPEAK A RING OF AMETHYST I COULD NOT HERE PLAINER TO MY SIGHT THAN THAT FIRST KISS THE SECOND PASS'D IN HEIGHT THE FIRST SOUGHT THE FOREHEAD AND HALF MISS'D HALF FALLING IB THE HAIR OH BEYOND MEED THAT WAS TGHE CHRISM OF LOVE WHICH LOVE'S OWN CROWN WITH SANCTIFYING SWEETNESS DID PRECEDE THE THIRD UPON MY LIPS WAS FOLDED DOWN IN PERFECT PURPLE STATE SINCE WHEN INDEED I HAVE BEEN PROUD AND SAID MY LOVE MY OWN

2 A WOMAN'S SHORTCOMINGS BY ELIZABETH BARRET BROWN ING
SHE HAS LAUGHED AS SOFTLY AS IF SHE SIGHED SHE HAS COUNTED SIX AND OVER OF A PURSE WELL FILLED AND A HEART WELL TRIED OH EACH WORTHY HEY LOVER THEY GIVE HER TIME FOR HER SOUL MUST SLIP WHERE THE WORLD HAS SET THE GROOVING SHE WILL LIE TO NONE WITH HER FAIR RED LIP BUT LOVE SEEKS TRUER LOVING SJE TREMBLES HER FANS IN A SWEETNESS DUMB AS HER THOUGHTS WERE BEYOND RECALLING WITH A GLANCE FOR ONE AND A GLANCE FOR SOME FOR HER EYELIDS RISING AND FALLING SPEAKS COMMON WORDS WITH A LUSHFUL AI HEAR BOLD WORDS UN REPROVING BUT HER SILENCE SAYS WHAT SHE NEVER WILL SWEAR AND LOVES SEEKS BETTER LOVING GO LADY LEAN TO THE NIGHT GUITAR AND DROP A SMILE TO THE BRINGER THEN SMILE SWEETTLY WHEN HE IS A FAR AT THE VOICE OF AN INDOOR SINGER BASK TENERLY BENEATH TENDER EYES GLANCE LIGHTLY ON THEIR RREMOVING AND JOIN NEW VOWS TO OLD PERJURIES BUT DARE NOT Call IT LOVING UNLESS YOU CAN THINK WHEN THE SONG IS DONE NO OTHER IS SOFT IN THE RHYTHM UNLESS YOU CAN FEEL WHEN LEFT BY ONE THAT ALL MEN ELSE GO WITH HIM UNLESS YOU CAN KNOW WHEN UNPRAISED NY HIS BREATH THAT YOUR BEAUTY ITSELF WANT PROVINGG UNLESS YOU CAN SWEAR FOR LIFE OR DEATH OH FEAR TO CALL IT LOVING UNLESS YOU CAN MUSE IN A CROWD AL DAY ON THE ABSENT FACE THAT FIXED YOU UNLESS YOU CAN LOVE AS THE ANGELS MAY WITH THE BREADTH OF HEAVEN BETWIXT YOU UNLESS YOU CAN DREAM THAT HIS FAITH IS FAST THROUGH UNBEHOVING UNLESS YOU CAN DIE WHEN THE DREAM IS PAST O NEVER CALL IT LOVING