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        "ZERO"  Sonnet, an introduction.

"On The Dying Of Elizabeth Barrett Browning"





(Note on the format of Miss Barrett's Sonnets:

For very personal reasons and also for more challenge,

I shall vary from Elizabeth's unvarying rhyme-scheme of

ABBA ABBA CDCDCD.

This often has been labeled "Italian", or "Pertrarcan",

since these sonnets were written in that locale,

or harkening to Mr. Petrarca's forms.

Then upon analytical reading of Theocritus' sonnets,

which, according to Mrs. Browning's first "Sonnet

From The Portuguese", inspired Elizabeth to compose

this series, which begins with a sonnet involving Theocritus,

by name, one finds that the universal rhyme-scheme of each of

Theocritus' Greek-to-English translators was

.....ABBA ABBA CDCDCD.....

( See Theocritus' Epigrams;

#V, SYLVAN;

#IX, CLEONICOS;

#XVIII, CLEITA;

#XXI, HIPPONAX; ET AL.

All as translated by E.C. LeFroy. )

It is hardly then coincidence that Elizabeth as adopted

this formal Greek Sonnet-scheme into her own love-songs

for Robert.  We are the richer for her constrictions in the form;

for her to reach such intoxicating heights of inspiration and execution

has set a bench-mark for succeeding authors, never to be surpassed.

One may only hope to know (or to imagine)

the heights to which her words raised Robert,

as he read them.   In his first letter to Elizabeth

he remarked that he "...loved your sonnets."

Only towards the end of that first letter

did he admit :  "...and I love you."



"Sonnet # Zero"

[Inspiration from Encyclopedia Britannica:

"....Robert visited her on her death-bed.

Seeing her condition, he raised her to his shoulder,

whereupon she repeatedly kissed him.

A few moments later she died--- "

Robert's words : "...smilingly, happily,

and with a face like a young girl's...." .

She is buried in Florence.

After Robert died, he also was buried in Florence.]







(Speaks Elizabeth):

The time of my End-time is now here, Oh!

Oh, let me kiss you again and again, Dear, Oh!

One kiss, and 100, and one-thousand-hundreds, Oh!

Hold me in the hollow where pulse & breath are kindred. Oh!





(Speaks Robert):

Our sweet together-life seems passed like brief dreaming, Oh!

My "Portuguese", you are not dying, but wakening on a coil lovelier, unending, Oh!

I shall ache to come to you; into Peace we know awaits us there, Oh!

We shall rest then, together in Origin of Happiness and Dreams so fair, Oh!





(Speaks their Muse

while Elizabeth's soul and Robert's heart

pause, between heaven and earth;

the couplet intentionally placed here

a la Theocritus):





"There are answers that are unquestioned,

although your hearts may ask, true; *



destinations planned or unplanned

await Love's journey-task, true!" **





(Speaks Elizabeth):

"Oh, press me, my Robert! Preserve me in death!

Like fallen petals, fragrant ever, keep my living breath!"



(Speaks Robert):

"Oh, never shall men forget thee, my Portuguese;

my words preserve thy love and mine, 'til all language cease!"



((Notes:

* Elizabeth wonders how Robert could REALLY be in love with her.

** : The life they knew together was MORE than even Love could dream of.))

(I deliberately exchanged the word "Oh!" from end-sentence to begin-sentence in last quatrain for the effect of their both breathing it at her last.)