Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

Madonna Mia (Author: Oscar Wilde)

p.716

1. • 1] A lily-girl, not made for this world's pain,
     2] With brown, soft hair close braided by her ears,
     3] And longing eyes half veiled by slumberous tears
     4] Like bluest water seen through mists of rain:
     5] Pale cheeks whereon no love hath left its stain,
     6] Red underlip drawn in for fear of love,
     7] And white throat, whiter than the silvered dove,
     8] Through whose wan marble creeps one purple vein.
   • 9] Yet, though my lips shall praise her without cease,
     10] Even to kiss her feet I am not bold,
     11] Being o'ershadowed by the wings of awe.
     12] Like Dante, when he stood with Beatrice
     13] Beneath the flaming Lion's breast, and saw
     14] The seventh Crystal, and the Stair of Gold.