Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE FAITHLESS SHEPHERDESS, by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: There once was a time when I loved Last Line: And arrest all these fast-flowing tears. Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina Subject(s): Faith; Love - Loss Of; Pain; Shepherds & Shepherdesses; Unfaithfulness; Belief; Creed; Suffering; Misery; Infidelity; Adultery; Inconstancy | ||||||||
1 There once was a time when I loved, 'Tis gone to return never more; My shepherdess faithless has proved, The maiden I once did adore. 2 And now we are parted for ever, And gone are my hopes and my fears, To forget Phillis false I'll endeavour, And arrest all these fast-flowing tears. 3 Yet wherever I turn I must think Of her who is faithless to me; I stand by the rivulet's brink, And the play of its waters I see. 4 'Twas there I first told her my love, And she blushingly bade me hope still, And the moon looking down from above Seemed to smile on the murmuring rill; 5 On the rill that was murm'ring of love To its beautiful mistress in heaven, The moon seeming to speak far above Of the rays that in token she'd given; 6 In token of love never-ending, And pure as when first 'twas avowed, As long as that stream should be sending Soft sighs to its Queen in the cloud. 7 And false Phillis swore that she'd ever Keep faithful her pure heart to me, That she'd think of another love never, So long as the rill true should be. 8 The rill to its love true remains, The moon still smiles on it from heaven, But from you I've experienced sharp pains, That the rill to the moon ne'er has given. 9 And now we are parted for ever, And gone are my hopes and my fears; To forget Phillis false I'll endeavour, And arrest all these fast-flowing tears. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A RITUAL AS OLD AS TIME ITSELF by PETER JOHNSON THE RING AND THE CASTLE by AMY LOWELL SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MRS. MERRITT by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: MRS. PURKAPILE by EDGAR LEE MASTERS SPOON RIVER ANTHOLOGY: TOM MERRITT by EDGAR LEE MASTERS IF THERE'S A GOD... by GREGORY ORR IT IS FINISHED' by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI ITALIA, IO TI SALUTO!' by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI THE HEART KNOWETH ITS OWN BITTERNESS' (2) by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI |
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