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."

I give the fight up; let there be an end,
A privacy, an obscure nook for me,
read more

I give the fight up; let there be an end,
A privacy, an obscure nook for me,
I want to be forgotten even by God.

Earth changes, but thy soul and God stand sure.

Earth changes, but thy soul and God stand sure.

And I have written three books on the soul,
Proving absurd all written hitherto,
And putting us read more

And I have written three books on the soul,
Proving absurd all written hitherto,
And putting us to ignorance again.

A people is but the attempt of many
To rise to the completer life of one--
And read more

A people is but the attempt of many
To rise to the completer life of one--
And those who live as models for the mass
Are singly of more value than they all.