Beauty like hers is genius. Not the call
Of Homer’s or of Dante’s heart sublime,-
Not Michael’s hand furrowing the zones of time,-
Is more with compassed mysteries musical;
Nay, not in Spring’s or Summer’s sweet footfall
More gathered gifts exuberant Life bequeaths
Than doth this sovereign face, whose love-spell breathes
Even from its shadowed contour on the wall.
As many men are poets in their youth,
But for one sweet-strung soul the wires prolong
Even through all change the indomitable song;
So in like wise the envenomed years, whose tooth
Rends shallower grace with ruin void of ruth,
Upon this beauty’s power shall wreak no wrong.
(Dante Gabriel Rossetti)
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Based on Topics: Man Poems, Time Poems, Faces Poems, Youth Poems, Beauty Poems, Spring Poems, Power Poems, Genius PoemsBased on Keywords: exuberant, envenomed, furrowing, indomitable, contour, bequeaths, shallower, sweet-strung