Madonna Mia
A lily-girl, not made for this world's pain,
With brown, soft hair close braided by her ears,
And longing eyes half veiled by slumberous tears
Like bluest water seen through mists of rain:
Pale cheeks whereon no love hath left its stain,
Red underlip drawn in for fear of love,
And white throat, whiter than the silvered dove,
Through whose wan marble creeps one purple vein.
Yet, though my lips shall praise her without cease,
Even to kiss her feet I am not bold,
Being o'ershadowed by the wings of awe.
Like Dante, when he stood with Beatrice
Beneath the flaming Lion's breast, and saw
The seventh Crystal, and the Stair of Gold.
我的圣女
百合花的少女不涉这尘世之苦,
柔软的棕色发辫贴紧她的耳轮,
渴望的眼睛被无谓的泪水半掩,
像穿越了雨雾的两道蓝幽幽的清泉;
苍白的脸颊不曾留下任何亲吻的印痕,
因为惧怕爱而紧抿红色的下唇,
白皙的颈项比银色的鸽子更洁白——
一条紫脉蠕动着穿过青色的大理石。
可是,尽管我的嘴唇毫无保留地赞美她,
我却没有勇气亲吻她的秀足,
只为被敬惧的翅膀所笼罩。
就像但丁,与贝雅特丽采并肩站立
烈焰升腾的雄狮胸膛下,他看见
第七重的水晶天,黄金的阶梯。