Love

Italian Sonnet IV (Cowper)

by John Milton 1608–1674

Translated by William Cowper (1808) · From Latin and Italian Poems (Cowper)

Love

Charles--and I say it wond'ring--thou must know
That I who once assum'd a scornful air,
And scoff'd at love, am fallen in his snare
(Full many an upright man has fallen so)
Yet think me not thus dazzled by the flow
Of golden locks, or damask cheek; more rare
The heart-felt beauties of my foreign fair;
A mien majestic, with dark brows, that show
The tranquil lustre of a lofty mind;
Words exquisite, of idioms more than one,
And song, whose fascinating pow'r might bind,
And from her sphere draw down the lab'ring Moon,
With such fire-darting eyes, that should I fill
My ears with wax, she would enchant me still.

MLA

Milton, John. “Italian Sonnet IV (Cowper).” Translated by William Cowper. Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/milton/93/.

Chicago

Milton, John. “Italian Sonnet IV (Cowper).” Translated by William Cowper. Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/milton/93/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by John Milton