Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE WORLD, by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WORLD, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: By day she wooes me, soft, exceeding fair
Last Line: Till my feet, cloven too, take hold on hell?
Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina
Subject(s): Earth; World


By day she wooes me, soft, exceeding fair:
But all night as the moon so changeth she;
Loathsome and foul with hideous leprosy
And subtle serpents gliding in her hair.
By day she wooes me to the outer air,
Ripe fruits, sweet flowers, and full satiety:
But thro' the night, a beast she grins at me,
A very monster void of love and prayer.
By day she stands a lie: by night she stands
In all the naked horror of the truth
With pushing horns and clawed and clutching hands.
Is this a friend indeed; that I should sell
My soul to her, give her my life and youth,
Till my feet, cloven too, take hold on hell?





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