 | The defence of Rome |  |
66
SPONSA DEO.
It is enough; let be; she may not riseTo follow with thy feet: she may not hear
Love's words or thine, only because her ear
Is hearkening some diviner harmonies.
And in the liquid depth of those pure eyes
Some inward vision of a far-off sphere
Aloof, apart, for ever holdeth her,
A virgin consecrate to holier skies.
So leave her thus, that spirit dear and fair,
Nor wronging her nor wronged, for all thy pain;
But deem thee one who, caught up unaware
Into some place of Paradise, again
Earthward must fall once more, yet still may bear
Within him echoes of the angel-strain.
| The defence of Rome | |