Paolo and Francesca da Rimini, Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1867)

Paolo and Francesca da Rimini

Francesca thou art wife of my brother,
But drawn to thee as a stone to the ground.
As thou endless beauty my lungs smother,
Will creep to thy chambers without a sound.

To press thy moist lips with my fingertips,
While resting my yearning mind on thy breast,
Thinking of the danger between thy hips,
Ought we to listen to others behest?

Love so strong rational it cannot be,
Its strength is like the moon over the sea.
Thy perfect smile so bright has blinded me,
If it meant my sure death I would not flee.

Unholy winds of Hell we now embrace,
For putting our families in disgrace.