Amoretti III: The Sovereign Beauty

    The sovereign beauty which I do admire,

    Witness the world how worthy to be praised:

    The light whereof hath kindled heavenly fire

    In my frail spirit, by her from baseness raised;

    That being now with her huge brightness dazed,

    Base thing I can no more endure to view;

    But looking still on her, I stand amazed

    At wondrous sight of so celestial hue.

    So when my tongue would speak her praises due,

  It stopped is with thought's astonishment:

  And when my pen would write her titles true,

  It ravish'd is with fancy's wonderment:

  Yet in my heart I then both speak and write

  The wonder that my wit cannot endite.