Monna Innominata [I loved you first]

Christina Rossetti 1830 (London) – 1894 (London)



I loved you first: but afterwards your love,
Outsoaring mine, sang such a loftier song
As drowned the friendly cooings of my dove.
Which owes the other most? My love was long,
And yours one moment seemed to wax more strong;
I loved and guessed at you, you contrued me
And loved me for what might or might not be—
Nay, weights and measures do us both a wrong.
For verily love knows not 'mine' or 'thine';
With separate 'I' and 'thou' free love has done,
For one is both and both are one in love:
Rich love knows nought of 'thine that is not mine';
Both have the strength and both the length thereof,
Both of us, of the love which makes us one.
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Submitted by naama on July 15, 2020

Modified on April 29, 2023

37 sec read
31

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABBCCBDEADAE
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 631
Words 125
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 14

Christina Rossetti

Christina Georgina Rossetti (5 December 1830 – 29 December 1894) was an English poet who wrote various romantic, devotional, and children's poems. more…

All Christina Rossetti poems | Christina Rossetti Books

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    "Monna Innominata [I loved you first]" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 25 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/54245/monna-innominata-[i-loved-you-first]>.

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