WHEN Laura smiles her sight revives both night and day; The earth and heaven view with delight her wanton play: And her speech with ever-flowing music doth repair The cruel wounds of sorrow and untamed despair. The sprites that remain in fleeting air Affect for pastime to untwine her tressed hair: And the birds think sweet Aurora, Morning's Queen, doth shine From her bright sphere, when Laura shows her looks divine. Diana's eyes are not adorned with greater power Than Laura's, when she lists awhile for sport to lower: But when she her eyes encloseth, blindness doth appear The chiefest grace of beauty, sweetly seated there. Love hath no power but what he steals from her bright eyes; Time hath no power but that which in her pleasure lies: For she with her divine beauties all the world subdues, And fills with heavenly spirits my humble Muse. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...AFFIRMATION by LOUIS UNTERMEYER THE SONG OF THE INGENUES by PAUL VERLAINE WALDEINSAMKEIT by RALPH WALDO EMERSON SONNET: TO J.M.K. by ALFRED TENNYSON THE ETERNAL GOODNESS by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER SONG AT THE FEAST OF BROUGHAM CASTLE; UPON RSTORATION OF LORD CLIFFORD by WILLIAM WORDSWORTH TOLEDO CAPTURED BY THE FRANKS by AL-ASSAL HAWTHORNE by AMOS BRONSON ALCOTT THE ARGONAUTS (ARGONATUICA): MEDEA'S HESITATION by APOLLONIUS RHODIUS |