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carmencita ago

Thank you for posting this and for your Courage. Do you think Browning is caught up in this mess as a pedophile? I know nothing about his past so am only asking and do not wish to tarnish his image but I am genuinely curious. I have never heard anything involving him so people should not convict him. I will now look into his poems as well. I will be checking this out all day. Stay safe and Peace.

ferfrendongles ago

No no no.. I love Browning. I think he was our kind of guy. Read some of his poems. They are beautiful!

Thank you so much for the kind words. :)

carmencita ago

THANK YOU so much for Clearing That Up. So Browning IS ONE OF US. Good. We need more from the past to guide us, for nowadays the words are not so kind and beautiful, imo. I remember a little of him from my High School years. We had a teacher that really loved literature and instilled a love of reading. I already had that, but I really enjoyed the class. Browning here I come. I encourage others to do the same. Just discovered this was deleted. So very sad.

ferfrendongles ago

You're welcome!

Here's Porphyria's Lover (my fav)

The rain set early in to-night,

   The sullen wind was soon awake, 

It tore the elm-tops down for spite,

   And did its worst to vex the lake: 

   I listened with heart fit to break. 

When glided in Porphyria; straight

   She shut the cold out and the storm, 

And kneeled and made the cheerless grate

   Blaze up, and all the cottage warm; 

   Which done, she rose, and from her form 

Withdrew the dripping cloak and shawl,

   And laid her soiled gloves by, untied 

Her hat and let the damp hair fall,

   And, last, she sat down by my side 

   And called me. When no voice replied, 

She put my arm about her waist,

   And made her smooth white shoulder bare, 

And all her yellow hair displaced,

   And, stooping, made my cheek lie there, 

   And spread, o'er all, her yellow hair, 

Murmuring how she loved me — she

   Too weak, for all her heart's endeavour, 

To set its struggling passion free

   From pride, and vainer ties dissever, 

   And give herself to me for ever. 

But passion sometimes would prevail,

   Nor could to-night's gay feast restrain 

A sudden thought of one so pale

   For love of her, and all in vain: 

   So, she was come through wind and rain. 

Be sure I looked up at her eyes

   Happy and proud; at last I knew 

Porphyria worshipped me; surprise

   Made my heart swell, and still it grew 

   While I debated what to do. 

That moment she was mine, mine, fair,

   Perfectly pure and good: I found 

A thing to do, and all her hair

   In one long yellow string I wound 

   Three times her little throat around, 

And strangled her. No pain felt she;

   I am quite sure she felt no pain. 

As a shut bud that holds a bee,

   I warily oped her lids: again 

   Laughed the blue eyes without a stain. 

And I untightened next the tress

   About her neck; her cheek once more 

Blushed bright beneath my burning kiss:

   I propped her head up as before, 

   Only, this time my shoulder bore 

Her head, which droops upon it still:

   The smiling rosy little head, 

So glad it has its utmost will,

   That all it scorned at once is fled, 

   And I, its love, am gained instead! 

Porphyria's love: she guessed not how

   Her darling one wish would be heard. 

And thus we sit together now,

   And all night long we have not stirred, 

   And yet God has not said a word! 

Poems do not format well.. lol https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46313/porphyrias-lover

I'm glad to have met you!

carmencita ago

Thank you again. Just read it again. Beautiful.