Robert Browning Poems : Which?
Their trial of who judged best
In esteeming the love of a man:
Who preferred with most reason was thereby confessed
Boy-Cupid's exemplary catcher and cager;
An Abbé crossed legs to decide on the wager.
First the Duchess: "Mine for me--
Who were it but God's for Him,
And the King's for--who but he?
Both faithful and loyal, one grace more shall brim
His cup with perfection: a lady's true lover,
He holds--save his God and his king--none above her."
"I require"--outspoke the Marquise--
"Pure thoughts, ay, but also fine deeds:
Play the paladin must he, to please
My whim, and--to prove my knight's service exceeds
Your saint's and your loyalist's praying and kneeling--
Show wounds, each wide mouth to my mercy appealing."
Then the Comtesse: "My choice be a wretch,
Mere losel in body and soul,
Thrice accurst! What care I, so he stretch
Arms to me his sole saviour, love's ultimate goal,
Out of earth and men's noise--names of 'infidel,' 'traitor,'
Cast up at him? Crown me, crown's adjudicator!"
And the Abbé uncrossed his legs,
Took snuff, a reflective pinch,
Broke silence: "The question begs
Much pondering ere I pronounce. Shall I flinch?
The love which to one and one only has reference
Seems terribly like what perhaps gains God's preference."
Submited by
Poesia Consagrada :
- Login to post comments
- 1716 reads
other contents of Robert Browning
Topic | Title | Replies | Views |
Last Post![]() |
Language | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Poesia Consagrada/Biography | Robert Browning Biography | 0 | 1.866 | 05/04/2011 - 02:59 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Youth and Art | 0 | 1.610 | 05/04/2011 - 02:52 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : A Woman's Last Word | 0 | 1.742 | 05/04/2011 - 02:51 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Why I Am a Liberal | 0 | 1.850 | 05/04/2011 - 02:50 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : White Witchcraft | 0 | 1.736 | 05/04/2011 - 02:49 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Which? | 0 | 1.716 | 05/04/2011 - 02:48 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : A Wall | 0 | 1.645 | 05/04/2011 - 02:47 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Up at a Villa—Down in the City | 0 | 2.378 | 05/04/2011 - 02:46 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Tray | 0 | 1.863 | 05/04/2011 - 02:45 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : A Toccata of Galuppi's | 0 | 1.909 | 05/04/2011 - 02:44 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : A Tale | 0 | 1.685 | 05/04/2011 - 02:44 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Summum Bonum | 0 | 1.851 | 05/04/2011 - 02:43 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Speculative | 0 | 1.869 | 05/04/2011 - 02:42 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Songs From Pippa Passes | 0 | 2.093 | 05/04/2011 - 02:41 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Rosny | 0 | 1.606 | 05/04/2011 - 02:40 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Rabbi Ben Ezra | 0 | 1.920 | 05/04/2011 - 02:39 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Prospice | 0 | 2.211 | 05/04/2011 - 02:36 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : A Pretty Woman | 0 | 1.463 | 05/04/2011 - 02:35 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : The Pope and the Net | 0 | 1.724 | 05/04/2011 - 02:30 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : The Pied Piper of Hamelin | 0 | 2.104 | 05/04/2011 - 02:29 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Pheidippides | 0 | 2.078 | 05/04/2011 - 02:27 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : A Pearl, a Girl | 0 | 1.775 | 05/04/2011 - 02:25 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : The Patriot | 0 | 1.818 | 05/04/2011 - 02:25 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Now | 0 | 1.770 | 05/04/2011 - 02:24 | English | |
Poesia Consagrada/General | Robert Browning Poems : Natural Magic | 0 | 1.680 | 05/04/2011 - 02:23 | English |
Add comment