Dante Alighieri (1265–1321)

Translated by Warburton Pike

A TENDER thought comes oft to me,

Of you to whisper, and remain,

And sings of love, so sweet a strain

My heart, entranced, must needs agree.

Says Soul to Heart, Pray, who is he,

That cometh to console our pain,

And so o’erpowering makes his reign,

Scarce other thought in us can be?

The answer this,—Soul, full of thought,

He comes from Love a spriteling new,

Who his desires to me hath brought;

His life and forces all, he drew

From Her, the loving one, who knows,

And sees with pitying eyes, our woes.