AS he that loves oft looks on the dear form <br />And guesses how it grew to womanhood, <br />And gladly would have watched the beauties bud <br />And the mild fire of precious life wax warm: <br />So I, long bound within the threefold charm <br />Of Dante's love sublimed to heavenly mood, <br />Had marvelled, touching his Beatitude, <br />How grew such presence from man's shameful swarm. <br />At length within this book I found pourtrayed <br />Newborn that Paradisal Love of his, <br />And simple like a child; with whose clear aid <br />I understood. To such a child as this, <br />Christ, charging well His chosen ones, forbade <br />Offence: “for lo! of such my kingdom is.”<br /><br />Dante Gabriel Rossetti<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/on-the-vita-nuova-of-dante/
