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
Savoured 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.”
(Dante Gabriel Rossetti)
More Poetry from Dante Gabriel Rossetti:
Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poems based on Topics: Love, Sleep, Charity- A Death-Parting (Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poems)
- A Little While (Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poems)
- Dante At Verona (Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poems)
- The White Ship Henry I. Of England.-25t (Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poems)
- Jenny (Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poems)
- The Burden of Nineveh (Dante Gabriel Rossetti Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Sleep Poems, Charity PoemsBased on Keywords: fingered, proffered, lipped, savoured, armfuls