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 afterards 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 love and guessed at you, you constured 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 therof,

Both of us, of the love which makes us one.

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