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Poems List

Therefore to this dog will I, Tenderly not scornfully, Render praise and favor.

To Flush, My Dog [1844], st. 14

2

I tell you hopeless grief is passionless.

Grief [1844], l. 1

1

Do ye hear the children weeping, O my brothers, Ere the sorrow comes with years?

The Cry of the Children [1844], st. 1

1

Knowledge by suffering entereth, And life is perfected by death.

A Vision of Poets [1844], last lines

2

Thou large-brained woman and large-hearted man.

To George Sand, A Desire [1844]

3

XXXVII

XXXVII


Pardon, oh, pardon, that my soul should make,
Of all that strong divineness which I know
For thine and thee, an image only so
Formed of the sand, and fit to shift and break.
It is that distant years which did not take
Thy sovranty, recoiling with a blow,
Have forced my swimming brain to undergo
Their doubt and dread, and blindly to forsake
Thy purity of likeness and distort
Thy worthiest love to a worthless counterfeit:
As if a shipwrecked Pagan, safe in port,
His guardian sea-god to commemorate,
Should set a sculptured porpoise, gills a-snort
And vibrant tail, within the temple-gate.
511

XXXV

XXXV


If I leave all for thee, wilt thou exchange
And be all to me ? Shall I never miss
Home-talk and blessing and the common kiss
That comes to each in turn, nor count it strange,
When I look up, to drop on a new range
Of walls and floors, another home than this ?
Nay, wilt thou fill that place by me which is
Filled by dead eyes too tender to know change ?
That 's hardest. If to conquer love, has tried,
To conquer grief, tries more, as all things prove;
For grief indeed is love and grief beside.
Alas, I have grieved sol am hard to love.
Yet love me--wilt thou ? Open thine heart wide,
And fold within the wet wings of thy dove.
375

XXXIV

XXXIV


With the same heart, I said, I'll answer thee
As those, when thou shalt call me by my name--
Lo, the vain promise ! is the same, the same,
Perplexed and ruffled by life's strategy ?
When called before, I told how hastily
I dropped my flowers or brake off from a game,
To run and answer with the smile that came
At play last moment, and went on with me
Through my obedience. When I answer now,
I drop a grave thought, break from solitude;
Yet still my heart goes to thee--ponder how--
Not as to a single good, but all my good !
Lay thy hand on it, best one, and allow
That no child's foot could run fast as this blood.
476

XXXII

XXXII


The first time that the sun rose on thine oath
To love me, I looked forward to the moon
To slacken all those bonds which seemed too soon
And quickly tied to make a lasting troth.
Quick-loving hearts, I thought, may quickly loathe;
And, looking on myself, I seemed not one
For such man's love !--more like an out-of-tune
Worn viol, a good singer would be wroth
To spoil his song with, and which, snatched in haste,
Is laid down at the first ill-sounding note.
I did not wrong myself so, but I placed
A wrong on thee. For perfect strains may float
'Neath master-hands, from instruments defaced,--
And great souls, at one stroke, may do and doat.
450

XXX

XXX


I see thine image through my tears to-night,
And yet to-day I saw thee smiling. How
Refer the cause ?--Beloved, is it thou
Or I, who makes me sad ? The acolyte
Amid the chanted joy and thankful rite
May so fall flat, with pale insensate brow,
On the altar-stair. I hear thy voice and vow,
Perplexed, uncertain, since thou art out of sight,
As he, in his swooning ears, the choir's Amen.
Beloved, dost thou love ? or did I see all
The glory as I dreamed, and fainted when
Too vehement light dilated my ideal,
For my soul's eyes ? Will that light come again,
As now these tears come--falling hot and real ?
577

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Identification and basic context

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was an influential English poet of the Victorian era. She is best known for her collection 'Sonnets from the Portuguese' and her long poem 'Aurora Leigh'.

Childhood and education

Born into a wealthy family, Elizabeth received an extensive education, including classical languages, which was unusual for women at the time. She was a precocious reader and writer from a young age, though her health was often delicate.

Literary trajectory

Barrett Browning began publishing poetry in her youth. Her 'Poems' (1844) brought her considerable attention. Her marriage to Robert Browning in 1846 marked a new phase, and they moved to Italy. Her masterpiece, 'Aurora Leigh', a novel in verse, was published in 1857, solidifying her reputation.

Works, style, and literary characteristics

Her major works include 'Sonnets from the Portuguese', 'Aurora Leigh', 'A Drama of Exile', and 'Casa Guidi Windows'. Her poetry often explored themes of love, religion, social justice, and politics. Her style is characterized by intellectual depth, emotional intensity, and a rich, often complex, use of language and imagery. She engaged with contemporary social issues, such as slavery and child labor.

Cultural and historical context

She lived during a period of significant social and political change in Britain, the height of the Victorian era. She was part of a literary circle that included figures like Alfred Tennyson and John Ruskin. Her sympathetic views towards Italian unification (Risorgimento) are evident in some of her works.

Personal life

Her relationship with her father was strained, particularly after he disapproved of her engagement to Robert Browning. Their clandestine marriage and subsequent move to Italy were significant events. Her health issues, including chronic respiratory problems, profoundly impacted her life and possibly her poetry.

Recognition and reception

Barrett Browning was one of the most famous and respected poets of her time, even considered by some as a contender for the Poet Laureateship. Her work was widely read and admired by critics and the public alike.

Influences and legacy

She was influenced by poets like John Milton and William Wordsworth. Her 'Sonnets from the Portuguese' are considered among the greatest love poems in the English language. 'Aurora Leigh' was groundbreaking for its blend of social commentary and poetic narrative, influencing later female writers.

Interpretation and critical analysis

Her work is often studied for its feminist undertones, its engagement with political issues, and its exploration of personal and spiritual themes.

Curiosities and lesser-known aspects

She was addicted to laudanum for much of her adult life, initially prescribed for her health problems.

Death and memory

She died in Florence, Italy, and is buried in the English Cemetery there. Her legacy is cemented as one of the most important poets of the 19th century.