PoetrySelected 1 Oct 2026
Sonnet 30 - I see thine image through my tears to-night
A poem by Elizabeth Barrett Browning.
English · English
Elizabeth Barrett BrowningBefore 1861
English translation prepared automatically for the Brief. Original sources and creator credits remain the reference.
I see thine image through my tears to-night,And yet to-day I saw thee smiling. HowRefer the cause?—Beloved, is it thouOr I, who makes me sad? The acolyteAmid the chanted joy and thankful riteMay so fall flat, with pale insensate brow,On the altar-stair. I hear thy voice and vow,Perplexed, uncertain, since thou art out of sight,As he, in his swooning ears, the choir's Amen.Beloved, dost thou love? or did I see allThe glory as I dreamed, and fainted whenToo vehement light dilated my ideal,For my soul's eyes? Will that light come again,As now these tears come—falling hot and real?
The work and its creator
Explore the original at PoetryDB ↗
Creator: Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Nationality / cultural background: English
Work / edition: Before 1861
Historical public-domain poem. Verse and line breaks retained.
In the source: Sonnet 30 - I see thine image through my tears to-night
Selected for the Brief on 1 Oct 2026. This date records our selection, rather than when the work was created.
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