XXVIII.

THE HEAVENLY BIRTH OF LOVE AND BEAUTY.

La vita del mie amor.

This heart of flesh feeds not with life my love: 
    The love wherewith I love thee hath no heart;
    Nor harbours it in any mortal part,
    Where erring thought or ill desire may move. 
When first Love sent our souls from God above,
    He fashioned me to see thee as thou art—­
    Pure light; and thus I find God’s counterpart
    In thy fair face, and feel the sting thereof. 
As heat from fire, from loveliness divine
    The mind that worships what recalls the sun
    From whence she sprang, can be divided never: 
And since thine eyes all Paradise enshrine,
    Burning unto those orbs of light I run,
    There where I loved thee first to dwell for ever.

XXIX.

LOVE’S DILEMMA.

I’ mi credetti.

I deemed upon that day when first I knew
    So many peerless beauties blent in one,
    That, like an eagle gazing on the sun,
    Mine eyes might fix on the least part of you. 
That dream hath vanished, and my hope is flown;
    For he who fain a seraph would pursue
    Wingless, hath cast words to the winds, and dew
    On stones, and gauged God’s reason with his own. 
If then my heart cannot endure the blaze
    Of beauties infinite that blind these eyes,
    Nor yet can bear to be from you divided,
What fate is mine?  Who guides or guards my ways,
    Seeing my soul, so lost and ill-betided,
    Burns in your presence, in your absence dies?

XXX.

TO TOMMASO DE’ CAVALIERI.

LOVE THE LIGHT-GIVER.

Veggio co’ bei vostri occhi.

With your fair eyes a charming light I see,
    For which my own blind eyes would peer in vain;
    Stayed by your feet the burden I sustain
    Which my lame feet find all too strong for me;
Wingless upon your pinions forth I fly;
    Heavenward your spirit stirreth me to strain;
    E’en as you will, I blush and blanch again,
    Freeze in the sun, burn ’neath a frosty sky. 
Your will includes and is the lord of mine;
    Life to my thoughts within your heart is given;
    My words begin to breathe upon your breath: 
Like to the moon am I, that cannot shine
    Alone; for lo! our eyes see nought in heaven
    Save what the living sun illumineth.

XXXI.

To TOMMASO DE’ CAVALIERI.

LOVE’S LORDSHIP.

A che piu debb’ io.