The Poetical Works of George Barlow In Ten [Eleven] Volumes |
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| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
| V. | V.
“BICÉ”
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| VI. |
| VII. |
| VIII. |
| IX. |
| X. |
| XI. |
| XII. |
| XIII. |
| XIV. |
| XV. |
| XVI. |
| XVII. |
| XVIII. |
| XIX. |
| XX. |
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 | The Poetical Works of George Barlow |  |
121
V.
“BICÉ”
Not “Beatricé,” rather “Bicé”:—I
Was ignorant of Dante's heart until
The soft diminutive my heart did thrill
With tender lips and a caressing sigh.
For Beatricé might a warrior die,—
For Bicé it was that Dante lived to fill
The ages with a voice, and stamp his will,
Regnant, on all Italian destiny.
Was ignorant of Dante's heart until
The soft diminutive my heart did thrill
With tender lips and a caressing sigh.
For Beatricé might a warrior die,—
For Bicé it was that Dante lived to fill
The ages with a voice, and stamp his will,
Regnant, on all Italian destiny.
For Bicé the stern eyes were large with light
And stern lips softly luminous with song;
For her, like some melodious eagle's flight,
His deathless wingéd poem passed along
The clouds, before all listening peoples' sight:—
For her the eternal toil-worn hands waxed strong.
And stern lips softly luminous with song;
For her, like some melodious eagle's flight,
His deathless wingéd poem passed along
The clouds, before all listening peoples' sight:—
For her the eternal toil-worn hands waxed strong.
1871.
| The Poetical Works of George Barlow | |