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Elizabethan Sonnet Cycles: Idea, Fidessa and Chloris

by Martha Foote Crow

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To the Celestial Numbers

XVIII

To this our world, to learning, and to heaven,
  Three nines there are, to every one a nine;
  One number of the earth, the other both divine;
One woman now makes three odd numbers even.
Nine orders first of angels be in heaven;
  Nine muses do with learning still frequent:
  These with the gods are ever resident.
Nine worthy women to the world were given.
My worthy one to these nine worthies addeth;
  And my fair Muse, one Muse unto the nine.
  And my good angel, in my soul divine!—
With one more order these nine orders gladdeth.
  My Muse, my worthy, and my angel then
  Makes every one of these three nines a ten.

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