Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861)
Sonnets from the Portuguese: XXX
1I see thine image through my tears to-night,
2And yet to-day I saw thee smiling. How
3Refer the cause?—Belovèd, is it thou
4Or I, who makes me sad? The acolyte
5Amid the chanted joy and thankful rite
6May so fall flat, with pale insensate brow,
7On the altar-stair. I hear thy voice and vow,
8Perplexed, uncertain, since thou art out of sight,
9As he, in his swooning ears, the choir’s amen.
10Belovèd, dost thou love? or did I see all
11The glory as I dreamed, and fainted when
12Too vehement light dilated my ideal,
13For my soul’s eyes? Will that light come again,
14As now these tears come—falling hot and real?
Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.
Original text: A Selection from the Poetry of Elizabeth Barrett Browning. First Series. New Edition. London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1886. 1: 181-202.
First publication date:
1850
RPO poem editor: Marc R. Plamondon
RP edition: 2007
Recent editing: 2:2007/11/24
Composition date:
1846
Form: sonnet
Other poems by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
