Poems (Blagden)/A portrait from memory

by Isa Blagden

A PORTRAIT FROM MEMORY.

1868.

A Persian princess, tall and fair,
With lustrous lengths of amber hair,
A lovely, tender, small child's face,
A floating step, a queenly grace,
A lily robe, all striped and barred
With lines of gold, and diapered
With black, as once Venetian dames
Wore, and yet wear, within the frames
Of Bonifazio, Tintoret,
And glorious Titian (jewels set
On palace walls within that shrine
Vowed to Thalassa the Divine,
Which men call Venice); two grey eyes,
With liquid, subtle, flatteries
For all they look on; frank, serene,
Pure from all grief, or care, or sin;
For grief will dim, sin leaves a stain
Which brightest eyes must still retain:
But hers are cloudless, clear, and bright,
Like angel eyes, all love, all light.

A rosy fan hung from her wrist
(A white flower by a loory kissed),
And round her fair throat's graceful curve
Were coral beads, whose hue might serve
To match the full lips—ripe and sweet.
So noble, perfect, and complete
Her beauty; yet she wears it calm,
As queens their crown, as saints their palm.

Such was the vision once I saw—
Peerless, without a fleck or flaw,
'Mid blossoms faint and trembling trees
All fluttering in the soft south breeze.
The passionate air breathed forth desire,
Adoring nature glowed with fire,
And love weighed down the drooping flowers,
And murmured through the bird-full bowers.
Its pulse was felt as sunbeams came
And scorched the garden as with flame.
And love thrilled each young worshipper
Who then vowed life and soul to her.

Hers was the bounty but to be,
That which all hearts rejoiced to see;
The largess hers, but ours the boon;
As when o'er earth the fair proud moon
Shines with her soft resplendent face,
A benediction and a grace
Enrich our lives; the liberal skies
Thus gladden with bright stars our eyes;
Thus choicest gifts are granted free;
Thus beauty is God's charity.