Dante Alighieri, a dark oracle Of wisdom and of art, I am; whose mind Has to my country such great gifts assigned That men account my powers a miracle. My lofty fancy passed as low as Hell, As high as Heaven, secure and unconfined; And in my noble book doth every kind Of earthly lore and heavenly doctrine dwell. Renowned Florence was my mother, -- nay, Stepmother unto me her piteous son, Through sin of cursed slander's tongue and tooth. Ravenna sheltered me so cast away; My body is with her, -- my soul with One For whom no envy can make dim the truth. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ODE TO THE BROWN PAPER BAG by JAMES GALVIN I WANT TO LIVE by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON SHALL I SAY by GEORGIA DOUGLAS JOHNSON THE NIGHT MOTHS by EDWIN MARKHAM SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MRS. SIBLEY by EDGAR LEE MASTERS GOOD-BYE DOROTHY GAYLE: THE ROAD TO BUFFALO by KAREN SWENSON |