The Poetical Works of John Payne Definitive Edition in Two Volumes |
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WITH A COPY OF THE DIVINA COMMEDIA. |
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 | The Poetical Works of John Payne |  |
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WITH A COPY OF THE DIVINA COMMEDIA.
FRIEND, in this book I proffer thee hereby,The angelic voice of him my song obeys,
The well-nigh God and master of my lays,
With various speech, of matters rare and high,
That harpnotes now, now thunder doth outvie,
Discourseth in his verses passing praise.
This treasured work of all who bear the bays,
A poet, to thee, poet, offer I,
That evermore a pledge betwixt us twain
Of friendship and to boot a sign it may
Be of the common travel in the Way
Of our two souls, that various of strain
More than in heaven benighted star and star,
But none the less conjoined in variance are.
| The Poetical Works of John Payne | |