Sonnet 22 - When our two souls stand up erect and strong

Elizabeth Barrett Browning 1806 (Kelloe) – 1861 (Florence)



XXII

When our two souls stand up erect and strong,
Face to face, silent, drawing nigh and nigher,
Until the lengthening wings break into fire
At either curved point,—what bitter wrong
Can the earth do to us, that we should not long
Be here contented? Think. In mounting higher,
The angels would press on us and aspire
To drop some golden orb of perfect song
Into our deep, dear silence. Let us stay
Rather on earth, Beloved,—where the unfit
Contrarious moods of men recoil away
And isolate pure spirits, and permit
A place to stand and love in for a day,
With darkness and the death-hour rounding it.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on April 11, 2023

33 sec read
263

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABBAABBACDCDCD
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 598
Words 112
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Elizabeth Barrett Browning was one of the most prominent English poets of the Victorian era. more…

All Elizabeth Barrett Browning poems | Elizabeth Barrett Browning Books

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