Poem of the Week: I Loved You First

"I loved you first: but afterwards your love"

By Christina Rossetti

            Poca favilla gran fiamma seconda. – Dante          
            Ogni altra cosa, ogni pensier va fore,
            E sol ivi con voi rimansi amore. – Petrarca

I loved you first: but afterwards your love

Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song

As drowned the friendly cooings of my dove.

Which owes the other most? my love was long,

And yours one moment seemed to wax more strong;

I loved and guessed at you, you construed me

And loved me for what might or might not be –

Nay, weights and measures do us both a wrong.

For verily love knows not ‘mine’ or ‘thine;’

With separate ‘I’ and ‘thou’ free love has done,

For one is both and both are one in love:

Rich love knows nought of ‘thine that is not mine;’

Both have the strength and both the length thereof,

Both of us, of the love which makes us one.

HT: Poetry Foundation

From Google translate:

 Great flame follows a little spark. - Dante

Everything else, every thought goes out,
And just there with you remains love. - Petrarca

Images by me, from my garden.  Consider them a gift bouquet,  free to use if you like them!