"Upon a day, came Sorrow in to me" Dante Alighieri (1290)

Upon a day, came Sorrow in to me,

    Saying, ‘I’ve come to stay with thee a while’;

    And I perceived that she had ushered Bile

And Pain into my house for company.

Wherefore I said, ‘Go forth – away with thee!’

    But like a Greek she answered, full of guile,

    And went on arguing in an easy style.

Then, looking, I saw Love come silently,

Habited in black raiment, smooth and new,

    Having a black hat set upon his hair;

And certainly the tears he shed were true.

    So that I asked, ‘What ails thee, trifler?’

Answering, he said: ‘A grief to be gone through;

    For our own lady’s dying, brother dear.’