AFTER THE DEATH OF VITTORIA COLONNA.

LOVE’S TRIUMPH OVER DEATH.

Quand’ el ministro de’ sospir.

When she who was the source of all my sighs,
    Fled from the world, herself, my straining sight,
    Nature who gave us that unique delight,
    Was sunk in shame, and we had weeping eyes. 
Yet shall not vauntful Death enjoy this prize,
    This sun of suns which then he veiled in night;
    For Love hath triumphed, lifting up her light
    On earth and mid the saints in Paradise. 
What though remorseless and impiteous doom
    Deemed that the music of her deeds would die,
    And that her splendour would be sunk in gloom,
The poet’s page exalts her to the sky
    With life more living in the lifeless tomb,
    And death translates her soul to reign on high.

LXIII.

AFTER THE DEATH OF VITTORIA COLONNA.

AFTER SUNSET.

Be’ mi dove’.

Well might I in those days so fortunate,
    What time the sun lightened my path above,
    Have soared from earth to heaven, raised by her love
    Who winged my labouring soul and sweetened fate.

That sun hath set; and I with hope elate
    Who deemed that those bright days would never move,
    Find that my thankless soul, deprived thereof,
    Declines to death, while heaven still bars the gate.

Love lent me wings; my path was like a stair;
    A lamp unto my feet, that sun was given;
    And death was safety and great joy to find.

But dying now, I shall not climb to heaven;
    Nor can mere memory cheer my heart’s despair:—­
    What help remains when hope is left behind?

LXIV.

AFTER THE DEATH OF VITTORIA COLONNA.

A WASTED BRAND.

Qual maraviglia e.

If being near the fire I burned with it,
    Now that its flame is quenched and doth not show,
    What wonder if I waste within and glow,
    Dwindling away to cinders bit by bit?

While still it burned, I saw so brightly lit
    That splendour whence I drew my grievous woe,
    That from its sight alone could pleasure flow,
    And death and torment both seemed exquisite.

But now that heaven hath robbed me of the blaze
    Of that great fire which burned and nourished me,
    A coal that smoulders ’neath the ash am I.

Unless Love furnish wood fresh flames to raise,
    I shall expire with not one spark to see,
    So quickly into embers do I die!

LXV.

TO GIORGIO VASARI.

ON THE BRINK OF DEATH.

Giunto e gia.

Now hath my life across a stormy sea
    Like a frail bark reached that wide port where all
    Are bidden, ere the final reckoning fall
    Of good and evil for eternity.