"The Offering of the Heart" is a famous Flemish Tapestry from the early 15th century, considered by some to be the "original valentine".
I do not know the author of the following, and I cannot google it up, but I have it almost verbatim in memory.
*******************
The Offering of the Heart
Against a somber background, blue as midnight,
more blank and rich than cloud, as dark as storm,
the almost-moving leaves are almost golden,
the light is almost warm.
Seated, a lady in a cloak of ermine
holds on her hand, correctly gloved and bent,
a falcon, without feathered hood or jesses.
Her gaze appears intent
On what her hound, good little dog, is doing
about her ankles, left front paw in air,
heedless of the two white, careless rabbits.
He does not see them there,
Or turn, as does the falcon, toward the gallant,
the gentleman, more elegant than smart,
wearing a crimson cloak with ermine lining,
who offers her his heart,
Holding it gently between thumb and finger,
whose "U" it does not fill, a plum in size,
a somewhat faded strawberry in color.
She does not raise her eyes.
How can a heart be beating in the bosom,
and yet held out so lightly in the hand?
Innocence. Mystery. An age of science
could scarcely understand.
***********************
Since I can't locate the original (I read it once, thirty years or so ago) I cannot check my accuracy, but on other long-remembered poems I'm usually pretty close.
Below is a link to an image of, and discussion of, the tapestry that inspired the poem. When I taught photography, in my first class each semester I'd recite this poem, and then after discussion I'd show an image of the tapestry. Then I'd ask each student to
describe in words a photograph they held in high regard, as an assignment.
In the next class session we'd read the descriptions, see if anybody could identify the photo from the words(surprisingly often they could), and then show the actual photo. It was (and is) my contention that, as Richard Avedon said, "The art of seeing is the beginning of Art", and I found this exercise extremely useful in leading students to a truer visualization, or a deeper one, of things.
(robt)
http://www.kfki.hu/~arthp/html/m/mas.../05offeri.html
[This message has been edited by Robt_Ward (edited July 17, 2003).]