Higginson and Bigelow, comps. American Sonnets. 1891.
A Volume of DanteCaroline Wilder Fellowes
I
Day after day the cobwebs are unswept
From my dim covers. I have lain and slept
In dust and darkness for a century.
An old forgotten volume, I. Yet see!
Such mighty words within my heart are kept
That, reading once, great Ariosto wept
In vain despair so impotent to be.
Musing, Vittoria Colonna came,
And touched my leaves with dreamy finger tips,
Lifted me up half absently, and read;
Then kissed the page with sudden tender lips,
And sighed, and murmured one belovéd name.