Romances, Lyrics, and Sonnets from the Poetic Works of Elizabeth Barrett Browning (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1890 edition. Excerpt: ... in thy dream the broad uplift-ings Of any seraph wing. Thus noiseless, thus. Sleep, sleep, my dreaming One nr. The slumber of His lips meseems to run Through my lips to mine heart, --to all its shiftings Of sensual life, bringing contrariousness In a great calm. I feel, I could lie down As Moses did, and die,1--and then live most. I am 'ware of you, heavenly Presences, That stand with your peculiar light un-lost, Each forehead with a high thought for a crown, Unsunned i' the sunshine I am 'ware. Ye throw I It is a Jewish tradition that Moses died of the kisses of God's lips. No shade against the wall How motionless Ye round me with your living statuary, While through your whiteness, in and outwardly, Continual thoughts of God appear to go, Like light's soul in itself. I bear, I bear, To look upon the dropt lids of your eyes, Though their external shining testifies To that beatitude within, which were Enough to blast an eagle at his sun. I fall not on my sad clay face before ye, --I look on His. I know My spirit which dilateth with the woe Of His mortality, May well contain your glory. Yea, drop your lids more low. Ye are but fellow-worshippers with me Sleep, sleep, my worshipped One v. We sate among the stalls at Bethlehem. The dumb kine from their fodder turning them, Softened their horned faces To almost human gazes Toward the newly Born. The simple shepherds from the star-lit brooks Brought visionary looks, As yet in their astonied hearing rung The strange, sweet angel-tongue. The magi of the East, in sandals worn, Knelt reverent, sweeping round, With long pale beards, their gifts upon the ground. The incense, myrrh, and gold These baby hands were impotent to hold. So, let all earthlies and celestials wait Upon Thy royal state. Sleep,