Christina Rossetti — Monna Innominata Sonnet 4 I loved you first...

"Poca favilla gran fiamma seconda." --Dante. "Ogni altra cosa, ogni pensier va fore, E sol ivi con voi rimansi amore."--Petrarca. 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 construed 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.