Love

Sonnet: He compares all Things with his Lady, and finds them wanting

by Guido Cavalcanti c. 1255–1300

Translated by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1861) · From The Early Italian Poets (1861)

Love

Beauty in woman; the high will's decree;
Fair knighthood arm'd for manly exercise;
The pleasant song of birds; love's soft replies;
The strength of rapid ships upon the sea;
The serene air when light begins to be;
The white snow, without wind that falls and lies;
Fields of all flower; the place where waters rise;
Silver and gold; azure in jewellery:—
Weigh'd against these, the sweet and quiet worth
Which my dear lady cherishes at heart
Might seem a little matter to be shown;
Being truly, over these, as much apart
As the whole heaven is greater than this earth.
All good to kindred natures cleaveth soon.

MLA

Cavalcanti, Guido. “Sonnet: He compares all Things with his Lady, and finds them wanting.” Translated by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/cavalcanti/2/.

Chicago

Cavalcanti, Guido. “Sonnet: He compares all Things with his Lady, and finds them wanting.” Translated by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/cavalcanti/2/.

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