Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LOOK ON THE PICTURE AND ON THIS', by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LOOK ON THE PICTURE AND ON THIS', by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I wish we once were wedded, - then I must be true
Last Line: Will she sound our accusation in intolerable light
Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina
Subject(s): Love - Loss Of; Love – Nature Of; Portraits; Memory; Death


I WISH we once were wedded, ''" then I must be true:
You should hold my will in yours to do or to undo:
But I hate myself now, Eva, when I look at you.

You have seen her hazel eyes, her warm dark skin,
Dark hair ''" but oh those hazel eyes a devil is dancing in: ''"
You, my saint, lead up to heaven, she lures down to sin.

She's so redundant, stately: ''" in truth now have you seen
Ever anywhere such beauty, such a stature, such a mien?
She may be queen of devils, but she's every inch a queen.

If you sing to me, I hear her subtler sweeter still
Whispering in each tender cadence strangely sweet to fill
All that lacks in music, all my soul and sense and will.

But you ask, 'Why struggle? I have given you up:
Take again your pledges, snap the cord and break the cup:
Feast you with your temptation, for I in heaven will sup.'

Can I bear to think upon you strong to break not bend,
Pale with inner intense passion, silent to the end.
Bear to leave you, bear to grieve you, O my dove, my friend?

Listening so, I hide mine eyes and fancy years to come:
You cherished in another home with no cares burdensome:
You straitened in a winding-sheet, pulseless, at peace, and dumb.

Open house and heart, barred to me alone the door:
Children bound to meet her, babies crow before:
Blessed wife and blessed mother whom I may see no m ore.

Or I fancy ''" In the grave her comely body lies:
She is 'tiring for the Bridegroom till the morning star shall rise.
Then to shine a glory in the nuptials of the skies.

No more yearning tenderness, no more pale regret:
She will not look for me when the marriage-guests are set.
She joys with joy eternal as we had never met.

I would that one of us were dead, were gone no more to meet.
Or she and I were dead together stretched here at your feet:
That she and I were strained together in one winding-sheet.

How have you the heart to face me with that passion in your stare
Deathly silent? Weep before me, rave at me in your despair: ''"
If you keep patience, wings will spring and a halo from your hair.

See now how proud you are, like us after all, no saint:
Not so upright but that you are bowed with the old bent:
White at white-heat, tainted with the devil's special taint.

Did I love you? Never from the first cold day to this:
You are not sufficient for my aim of like, my bliss
You are not sufficient, but I found the one that is.

Then did I never love you? ''" ah the sting struck home at last!
You are drooping, fainting, dying ''" the worst of death is past ''"
A light is on your face from the nearing heaven forecast.

Never? ''" yes I loved you then: I loved, the word still charms:
For the first time, last time, lie here in my heart, my arms,
For the first la,st time, as if I shielded you from harms.

For after all I loved you, loved you then, I love you yet :
Listen, love, I love you : see, the seal of truth is set
On my face, in tears ''" you cannot see ? then feel them wet.

Pause at heaven's dear gate, look back, one moment to grieve:
You go home through death to life: but I, I still must live:
On the threshold of heaven's love, O love can you forgive?

Fully freely fondly, with heart-truth above an oath.
With eager utter pardon given un-asked and nothing loth,
Heaping coals of fire upon our heads, forgiving both.

One word more ''" not one! One look more ''" too late, too late!
Lapped in love she sleeps who was lashed with scorn and hate:
Nestling in the lap of Love the dove has found a mate.

Night has come, the night of rest: day will come, that day:
To her glad dawn of glory kindled from the deathless ray:
To us a searching fire and strict balances to weigh.

The tearless tender eyes are closed, the tender lips are dumb ''"
I shall not see or hear them more until that day shall come:
Then they must speak ; what will they say? ''" what then will be the sum? ''"

Shall we stand upon the left, and she upon the right ''"
We smirched with endless death and shame, she glorified in white ''"
Will she sound our accusation in intolerable light?





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