(March 1887) O EPIC-FAMED, god-haunted Central Sea, Heave careless of the deep wrong done to thee When from Torino's track I saw thy face first flash on me. And multimarbled Genova the Proud, Gleam all unconscious how, wide-lipped, up-browed, I first beheld thee clad - not as the Beauty but the Dowd. Out from a deep-delved way my vision lit On housebacks pink, green, ochreous - where a slit Shoreward 'twixt row and row revealed the classic blue through it. And thereacross waved fishwives' high-hung smocks, Chrome kerchiefs, scarlet hose, darned underfrocks; Often since when my dreams of thee, O Queen, that frippery mocks: Whereat I grieve, Superba!... Afterhours Within Palazzo Doria's orange bowers Went far to mend these marrings of thy soul-subliming powers. But, Queen, such squalid undress none should see, Those dream-endangering eyewounds no more be Where lovers first behold thy form in pilgrimage to thee. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO MY DEAR FRIEND, MR. CONGREVE, ON HIS COMEDY, 'THE DOUBLE-DEALER' by JOHN DRYDEN MONNA INNOMINATA, A SONNET OF SONNETS: 1 by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI IAMBICUM TRIMETRUM, FR. LETTER TO HARVEY by EDMUND SPENSER THE PLEASURES OF IMAGINATION: BOOK 2 by MARK AKENSIDE THE LETTER by MUHAMMAD AL-MU'TAMID II PARODY OF A SHROPSHIRE LAD by HENRY MAXIMILIAN BEERBOHM ASPIRATIONS: 2 by MATHILDE BLIND |