Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems including a Reprint of Echoes from Theocritus: By Wilfred Austin Gill: With a Critical Estimate of the Sonnets by the late John Addington Symonds |
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 | Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems |  |
LXXXII
ISABEL: A PORTRAIT
Who loves a deep face, let him look with me
On this of Isabel's,—to common sight
Perfect in paleness, wonderful and white,
But to the studious gaze a mystery:
For never calm so utter save there be
A home of turbid feelings recondite,
Though none shall find it in the soul's despite,—
Few guess it under such tranquillity.
She is a passion-flower hung overhead,
That will not stoop its disc for eyes to see;
A scriptured lily, ere its petals spread,
Shut close until the sunshine,—so is she;
Fair riddle not by all men to be read;
Bright casket opening to one special key.
| Edward Cracroft Lefroy: His Life and Poems | |