English Poetry at the Poetry Monster. Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Poem The House of Life. Sonnet 23. Love’s Baubles.

Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

The House of Life. Sonnet 23. Love’s Baubles

I stood where Love in brimming armfuls bore
Slight wanton flowers and foolish toys of fruit:
And round him ladies thronged in warm pursuit,
Fingered and lipped and proffered the strange store.
And from one hand the petal and the core
Savored of sleep; and cluster and curled shoot
Seemed from another hand like shame's salute,--
Gifts that I felt my cheek was blushing for.

At last Love bade my Lady give the same:
And as I looked, the dew was light thereon;
And as I took them, at her touch they shone
With inmost heaven-hue of the heart of flame.
And then Love said: "Lo! when the hand is hers,
Follies of love are love's true ministers."

Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s other poems:

1. The House of Life. Sonnet 17. Beauty’s Pageant
2. The House of Life. Sonnet 35. The Lamp’s Shrine
3. The House of Life. Sonnet 50. Willowwood – 2
4. The Staff and Scrip
5. The House of Life. Sonnet 92. The Sun’s Shame – 1

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