The New Life, La Vita Nuova, is an exquisite medley of lyrical verse and poetic prose. Its allegorical view of the soul's crisis and growth combines a narrative with meditations, dreams, songs, and prayers. Dante assembles a selection of his love poems within a prose framework that situates them chronologically and autobiographically. The result is a history of his love for Beatrice, the muse he encountered in childhood who continued to influence him long after her marriage and early death.