Robert Browning

Italy, my Italy!
Queen Mary's saying serves for me--
(When fortune's malice
Lost her read more

Italy, my Italy!
Queen Mary's saying serves for me--
(When fortune's malice
Lost her Calais)--
Open my heart and you will see
Graved inside of it, "Italy."

Then I cast loose my buff coat, each halter let fall,
Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt read more

Then I cast loose my buff coat, each halter let fall,
Shook off both my jack-boots, let go belt and all,
Stood up in the stirrup, leaned, patted his ear,
Called my Roland his pet name, my horse without peer;
Clapped my hands, laughed and sang, any noise bad or good,
'Til at length into Aix Roland galloped and stood.

Why comes temptation but for man to meet
And master and make crouch beneath his foot,
And read more

Why comes temptation but for man to meet
And master and make crouch beneath his foot,
And so be pedestaled in triumph?

All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower.

All will be gay when noontide wakes anew
The buttercups, the little children's dower.

It's wiser being good than bad;
It's safer being meek than fierce:
It's fitter being sane than read more

It's wiser being good than bad;
It's safer being meek than fierce:
It's fitter being sane than mad.
My own hope is, a sun will pierce
The thickest cloud earth ever stretched;
That, after Last, returns the First,
Though a wide compass round be fetched;
That what began best, can't end worst,
Nor what God blessed once, prove accurst.