VIA DELLA MADONETTA
The dearest street in Venice lies
Not to be found by careless eyes,
A ribbon of the seaweed's green
It turns and twists the walls between
So narrow that one's elbow may
The tinted plaster rub away,
And if the swarthy gondolier
Another plashing oar should hear
He cries a warning, wailful, sweet,
Lest the opposing prows should meet.
See, there's a house all rosy white
Around whose foot the tangled light
And shadow whirling silently
Are delicate as when we see
The princess of a fairy dream
Dipping her soft limbs in the stream:
But yonder house of fawn and gold
Is some proud courtesan of old,
Tullia of Aragon arrayed
In gown of amber-hued brocade,
Nor doth she fear her shoon to wet
With diamonds and topaz set,
A princely lover's gift, nor wear
The yellow veil to hide her hair.
And here's a house whose vivid blue
Shades to a luscious violet hue,
And this I like the best of all,
For in a niche against the wall
The Madonetta's self doth stand,
And scarcely taller than my hand,
Of plaster shapen clumsily
Not to be found by careless eyes,
A ribbon of the seaweed's green
It turns and twists the walls between
So narrow that one's elbow may
The tinted plaster rub away,
And if the swarthy gondolier
Another plashing oar should hear
He cries a warning, wailful, sweet,
Lest the opposing prows should meet.
See, there's a house all rosy white
Around whose foot the tangled light
And shadow whirling silently
Are delicate as when we see
The princess of a fairy dream
Dipping her soft limbs in the stream:
But yonder house of fawn and gold
Is some proud courtesan of old,
Tullia of Aragon arrayed
In gown of amber-hued brocade,
Nor doth she fear her shoon to wet
With diamonds and topaz set,
A princely lover's gift, nor wear
The yellow veil to hide her hair.
And here's a house whose vivid blue
Shades to a luscious violet hue,
And this I like the best of all,
For in a niche against the wall
The Madonetta's self doth stand,
And scarcely taller than my hand,
Of plaster shapen clumsily
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