FIFTEEN ORIGINAL

AUTOGRAPH MANU-

SCRIPT POEMS BY

DANTE GABRIEL

ROSSETTI❧❧❧❧

With annotations on the

reverse by William

Michael Rossetti❧



 

CONTENTS
• 1.    BROKEN MUSIC.
  
              Published in Ballads and
  
              Sonnets 1881 and in Poems 1870
  
              [unaltered]
• 2.    THE LANDMARK.
  
              Published in Ballads and
  
              Sonnets 1881 and in Poems 1870
  
              [with some alterations]
• 3.    BELLA'S BULFINCH.
  
              Published in Poems 1870 under
  
              the title of Beauty and the
  
              Bird.[with some alterations]
• 4.    A MATCH WITH THE MOON.
  
              Published in Poems 1870 [with
  
              some alterations.] On the re-
  
              verse in pencil are two five
  
              line verses the last of which
  
              appears in an altered form in
  
              the poem entitled The Staff
  
              and Scrip.
• 5.    THE MISSION OF LUKE.
  
              Published in Ballads and
  
              Sonnets 1881 and in Poems 1870
  page: [iv]  
  Note: blank page
  page: [v]  
  
  
              under the title of St Luke the
  
              Painter [with some alterations]
• 6.    TO THE YOUNG PAINTERS OF
  
  &   ENGLAND .
• 7.         [In memory of those before
  
              Raffael] Published in
  
              Ballads and Sonnets 1881
  
              under the title of The
  
              Husbandman [with some
  
              alterations] Above the poem
  
              is the parable of the Husband-
  
              men transcribed from the
  
              scriptures. On the reverse
  
              is a Bout-rimé sonnet that
  
              has not been published.
• 8.    THE ORCHARD PIT.
  
              Published in collected works.
• 9.    NO MORE.
  
              Published under the title of
  
              The Lady's Lament.
• 10. OF LOVE, IN HONOUR OF HIS
  
        MISTRESS BECCHINA .
  
              A sonnet in Italian the trans-
  
              lation of which was publish-
  
              ed in Early Italian Poets 1861.
page: [vi]  
Note: blank page
page: [vii]  
• 11. HE RAILS AGAINST DANTE,
  
       WHO HAD CENSURED HIS
  
       HOMAGE TO BECCHINA .
  
              A sonnet in Italian the trans-
  
              lation of which was publish-
  
              ed in Early Italian Poets 1861
• 12. CONCERNING HIS FATHER.
  
              A sonnet in Italian the trans-
  
              lation of which was publish-
  
              ed in Early Italian Poets 1861.
• 13. ON THE DEATH OF HIS FATHER.
  
              A sonnet in Italian the trans-
  
              lation of which was publish-
  
              ed in Early Italian Poets 1861.
• 14. HE WOULD SLAY ALL WHO
  
        HATE THEIR FATHERS .
  
              A sonnet in Italian the trans-
  
              lation of which was publish-
  
              ed in Early Italian Poets 1861.
• 15. A SONNET IN ITALIAN.
  
              Unpublished.

   

• The mother will not turn, who thinks she hears
• Her nursling's speech first grow articulate;
• But breathless with averted eyes elate
• She sits, with open lips and open ears,
• That it may call her twice. 'Mid doubts and fears
• Thus oft my soul has hearkened; till the song,
• A central moan for days, at length found tongue,
• And the sweet music welled, and the sweet tears.
• But now, whatever while the soul is fain
• 10 To list that wonted murmur, as it were
• The speech-bound sea-shell's low importunate strain;
• No breath of song,—thy voice alone is there,
• O bitterly beloved! and all her gain
• Is but the pang of unpermitted prayer.

   

• Was that the landmark? What—the foolish well
• Whose wave, low down, I did not stoop to drink,
• But sat & flung the pebbles from its brink
• In sport to send its imaged skies pell-mell,
• (And mine own image, had I noted well!)—
• Was that my the point of turning?—I did think
• The This stations of my course should [?] [?] should link with link
• That proudest piles my station's course should link
• Added TextProud piles should mark my stations link with link,
• As altar-stone or ensign'd citadel.
• But lo! the path is missed, I must turn go back,
• 10 And long thirst to drink when now I reach the spring
• Which erst once I stained, which since may have grown black.
• But Yet though no light be left nor bird now sing
• When there As here I turn, I'll thank God, hastening,
• That the same goal is still on the same track.

Oct. 1854    

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• [Sh]e fluted with her mouth as when one sips,
• [A]nd waved her golden head, brave head & kind,
• [Ou]tside his cage close to the window-blind;
• [T]ill her sweet bird, with little turns and dips,
• [Pi]ped low to her of sweet companionships.
• And when he stopped, she took some seed, I vow,
• [A]nd fed him from her rosy tongue, which now
• [Pee]ped as a piercing bud between her lips.

• [A]nd like the child in Chaucer, on whose tongue
• 10 The Blessed Mary laid, when he was dead,
• A grain,—who straightway praised her name in song:
• Even so when she, a little lightly red,
• Now turned on me & laughed, I felt made strong
• [To] honour and to praise her golden head.

   

• Weary already, weary miles to-night
• I walked for bed: and so to get some ease
• I dogged the flying moon for similes.
• And But like a wisp she doubled on my sight
• In ponds; and caught in tree tops like a kite;
• And in a globe of film all liquorish
• Swam fullfaced like a silly silver fish;
• Last like a bubble shot the zenith's welkin's height,
• Where my road veered, and got behind me, & sent
• 10 My wizened shadow craning round at me,
• And jeered, “So, step the metre—, one two three,—
• All right?”— then if I turned, looked innocent.
• Yet just at parting, half way down a dell,
• She kissed me for goodnight, so I'll not tell.

Dec. 1854    

• So, arming, through his soul there passed
• Thoughts of all depth & height;
• But more than other things at last
• Seemed to he armed knight
• The joy to fight.

• The skies, in by sunset all unsealed
• Long lands he never knew,
• Beyond to-morrow's battle field
• Lay open out to view
• 10To ride into.

   

• High honour unto Luke Evangelist
• It was this Luke (the aged Church-truths say,)
• Who first taught Art to fold her hands and pray.
• Scarcely at sudden dared she rend the mist
• Of devious symbols: but soon now having wist
• How sky-breadth and field-silence and this day
• Are symbols also, a much deeper way,
• She looked through these to God and was is God's priest.
• And if, past noon, her toil began begins to irk,
• 10And she sought seeks sought nostrums, and even had turned (most vain!)
• To soulless pagan marbles self-reflections of man's skill,—
• Yet now, in this the twilight, she might still
• Kneel in [?] the latter grass to pray again,
• Ere the night cometh and she may not work—

   

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• Though God, as one that is an householder,
• Called these to labour in his vineyard first,
• Before the husk of darkness was well burst
• Bidding them grope their way out and bestir:
• (Who, questioned of their wages, answer'd, “Sir,
• Unto each man a penny”:) though the worst
• Burthen of heat was theirs, and the dry thirst:
• Though God hath since found none such as these were,
• To do their work like them:—Because of this
• 10 Stand not ye idle in the market-place:
• Which of ye knoweth, he is not that last
• Who may be first by faith and will?—that his
• Is not the hand which, after the set days,
• Shall give a future to their stately goodly Past?

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1848     (bouts-rimé)    

• Piled deep below the screening apple-branch
• They lie with bitten apples in their hands:
• And some are only ancient bones that blanch,
• And some on last year's sea these ships had ships that last year's wind did launch,
• And some were yesterday the lords of lands.

• In the soft dell, among the apple-trees,
• High up above the hidden pit she stands
• And there for ever sings, who gave to these
• That lie below, her magic hour of ease
• 10And those her apples holden in their hands.

• I in my dreams have seen/beheld this This thing in my dreams is shown me ; and her hair
• Added TextThis in my dreams is shown me & her hair
• Has crossed Crosses my lips and draws my burning breath;
• I heard Her song spreads golden wings upon the air;
• I knew Life's eyes that made are gleaming from her forehead fair
• Added TextLife's eyes are gleaming from her forehead fair
• And for from her breasts the ravishing eyes of Death.

   

• O Lord of all compassionate control,
• O Love! now let this my Lady's picture glow glow
• Under my hand and spread thy praise below with her thy glory glow work thy praise below
Under my hand and praise spread thy praise below
• That he who seeks for beauty's utmost seeks her beauty's furthest goal
• Beyond the grey light wherein her glances doth throw that her glances doth throw
• In visiting those wave s upon the shore heart—may know
• [?]
• Added Text[?]
• Then
• [?]
• soul
• And grey waves breaking on thy heart
• When the wave breaks upon the he[art]
  Transcription Gap: one or two words (The words are obscured because the end of the manuscript page, where they are jammed, has been damaged)
• The very sky & sealine of her soul.

• Lo! it is done. Above the long lithe throat
• 10 The moved mouth quivers with its voice & kiss
• trembles
• [?]
• The shadowed eyes remember & foresee.
• great grey
• Her face is made her shrine. Let all men note
• And the hair [night?] the shrine
• [?]
• The dark night shades the shrine.
• That in all years (O Love, thy gift is this!)
• They that would know her face must come to me.

   

• Never happy any more!
• Aye, turn the saying o'er and o'er,
• It says but what it said before,
• And heart & life are just as sore.
• The wet leaves blow aslant the floor
• In the rain through the open door.
• No more! never more!
• No, never more!

• Never happy any more!
• 10 The eyes are weary and give o'er,
• But still the soul weeps as before.
• And always must each one deplore
• Each once, nor bear what others bore?
• This is now, as it was of yore.
• No more! never more!
• No, never more!

• Never happy any more!
• Is it not but a sorry lore
• That says, “Take strength, the worst is o'er”?
• 20 Shall the stars seem as heretofore?
• The day weareth more and more—
• While I was weeping, the day wore.
• No more! never more!!
• No, never more!

• Never happy any more!
• In the cold behind the door
• That was the dial striking four:
• One for the past joy, of yore,
• Two for hope & will cast o'er;
• 30 One for the naked dark before.
• No more! never more!!
• No, never more!

• Never happy any more!
• Put the light out, shut the door;
• Sweep the wet leaves from the floor.
• Even thus, God's hand has paved the floor:
• Even thus, God's hand has shut the door
• On me, that was not shut before—
• Shall it be opened any more?
• No more! never more!!
• 40 No, never more!

Sept. 1848    

• Qualunque ben sì fa naturalmente
• Nasce d' Amor, come dal fiore il frutto,
• Perchè Amor fa l'uomo esser valente,
• Ancor fa più, che nol trova sì brutto
• Che per lui non si adorni immantenente,
• E non par desso poi, sì'l muta tutto;
• Dunque può dire bene veramente
• Che chi non ama sia morto e distrutto.
• Ch'uomo val tanto quanto ha in se bontate,
• 10E la bontà senza Amor non può stare,
• Dunque ben ho io usato veritate.
• Or va, sonetto, senza dimorare
• A tutti innamoratti e innamarate,
• E di' lor che Bichina ti fa fare.

   

• Lassar non vuol lo trovare di Bechina,
• Dante Alighieri, e dà del mariscalco,
• Che par fiorino d'oro, ed è oricaleo,
• Par zuccher cafetton quel ch' è salina,
• Par pan di grano, ed è di sagina,
• Par una torre, ed è un vil balco,
• Ed è un nibbio, e pare un girifalco,
• E pare un gallo, ed è una gallina,
• Sonetto mio, vattene a Fiorenza,
• 10Dove vedrai le donne e le donzelle,
• Di', che il suo fato è solo di parvenza.
• Ed io per me ne conterò novelle
• Al buon Re Carlo Conte di Provenza
• E per sto modo li fridaro la pelle.

   

• Il pessimo, il crudel odio, ch'io porto
• Con grandissimo dritto al padre meo
• Lo farà viver più che Buradeo,
• Di questo già buon di mi sono accorto.
• Odi or natura, se terrei gan torto;
• L'altrier gli chiesi un bicchier di raspeo raspeo,
• Che n'ha ben cento vece il can giudeo,
• E in verità vicin m'ebbe che morto.
• Dio! se v'avessi chiesto di vernaccia,
• 10Diss' io solamente per lui provare,
• Si mi volessi sputar in la faccia.
• Poi m' è detto ch' io nol debbo odiare:
• Ma chi sapesse bene ogni sua traccia
• Direbbe, il cor gli dovresti mangiare.

   

• Non si disperin quelli dello Inferno,
• Poi che n' è uscito un che v' era chiavato,
• Che vi credea stare in sempiterno,
• Il quale è Cecco, che è così chiamato.
• Ma in tal guisa è rivolto il quaderno
• Che sempre viverò glorificato,
• Poi che messer Angolieri è scoiato scoiato
• Che m'affliggea di state e di verno.
• Muovi, nuovo sonetto, e vanne a Cecco,
• 10A quel che più dimora a la badia:
• Digli che frate Arrigo è mezzo secco.
• Che non si dia nulla maninconia,
• Ma di tal cibo imbecchi lo suo becco
• Che viverà più ch' Enoc e ch' Elia.

   

• Chi dice del suo padre altro che onore,
• La lingua gli dovrebbe esser tagliata,
• Perchè son sette le mortal peccata
• Ma infra l'altre quello è lo maggiore.
• S'io fossi prete, o pur frate minore,
• Al Papa fora la mia prima andata,
• E direi; Padre Santo, una crociata
• Si faccia in dosso a chi lor fa disnore.
• E s'alcuo fosse per lo suo peccato,
• 10Che in quello stallo gli venisse a mani,
• Vorrei che fosse cotto e poi mangiato,
• Dagli uomin nò ma dai lupi e cani,
• Dio mel perdoni, ch'io non ho già usato
• Motti non bei, ma rustici e villani.

   

• Piangendo star con l'anima smarrita,
• Fra se dicendo: già sarà in ciel gita
• Beata cosa ch'uom chiamava il nome,
• Lasso me, e quando e come
• Veder io vi potro visibilmente,
• Sì che ancora presente
• Far io vi possa. Di conforto aita?
• Dunque mi udite ch'io parlo a posta
• D'amor, e ai sospir ponendo sosta.

• 10E inver lei parla d'ogni sua virtute.

• E, tutta santa omai vostra, innamora
• Contemplando nel ciel dov' è locata
• Il vostro cor, per cui istà diviso,
• Che pinto tiene in sì beato viso.

   

• G. Orlandi
• G. Alfani
• G. Alfani
• B. da Bologna
• D. Compagni
• L. Gianni (Uberti)
• D. Frescobaldi
• Giotto
• S. dall' Antella

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