Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton

Here you will find the Poem Sonnet IX of poet Caroline Elizabeth Sarah Norton

Sonnet IX

TO THE COUNTESS HELÉNE ZAVADOWSKY.

WHEN our young Queen put on her rightful crown 
In Gothic Westminster's long-hallow'd walls, 
The eye upon no lovelier sight look'd down 
Than thou, fair Russian! Memory still recalls 
The soft light of thy sapphire-colour'd eyes, 
The rich twine of thy simply-braided hair, 
And the low murmur of the crowd's surprise 
To see thee pass along so strangely fair. 
Nor didst thou charm by looks and smiles alone,-- 
Thy 'broken English' had its share of grace; 
For something in thy accent and thy tone 
So match'd the beauty of thy gentle face, 
We seem'd to hear our old familiar words 
Set to some foreign lute or harp's melodious chords!