Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THREE NUNS, by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Shadow, shadow on the wall Last Line: "the spirit and the bride say, come." Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina Subject(s): Death; Life; Nuns; Singing & Singers; Tears; Dead, The | ||||||||
1. Shadow, shadow on the wall Spread thy shelter over me; Wrap me with a heavy pall, With the dark that none may see. Fold thyself around me; come: Shut out all the troublesome Noise of life; I would be dumb. Shadow thou hast reached my feet, Rise and cover up my head; Be my stainless winding sheet, Buried before I am dead. Lay thy cool upon my breast: Once I thought that joy was best, Now I only care for rest. By the grating of my cell Sings a solitary bird; Sweeter than the vesper bell, Sweetest song was ever heard. Sing upon thy living tree: Happy echoes answer thee, Happy songster, sing to me. When my yellow hair was curled Though men saw and called me fair, I was weary in the world Full of vanity and care. Gold was left behind, curls shorn When I came here; that same morn Made a bride no gems adorn. Here wrapped in my spotless veil, Curtained from intruding eyes, I whom prayers and fasts turn pale Wait the flush of Paradise. But the vigil is so long My heart sickens: -- sing thy song, Blithe bird that canst do no wrong. Sing on, making me forget Present sorrow and past sin. Sing a little longer yet: Soon the matins will begin; And I must turn back again To that aching worse than pain I must bear and not complain. Sing, that in thy song I may Dream myself once more a child In the green woods far away Plucking clematis and wild Hyacinths, till pleasure grew Tired, yet so was pleasure too, Resting with no work to do. In the thickest of the wood, I remember, long ago How a stately oak tree stood, With a sluggish pool below Almost shadowed out of sight. On the waters dark as night, Water-lilies lay like light. There, while yet a child, I thought I could live as in a dream, Secret, neither found nor sought: Till the lilies on the stream, Pure as virgin purity, Would seem scarce too pure for me: -- Ah, but that can never be. 2. I loved him, yes, where was the sin? I loved him with my heart and soul. But I pressed forward to no goal, There was no prize I strove to win. Show me my sin that I may see: -- Throw the first stone, thou Pharisee. I loved him, but I never sought That he should know that I was fair. I prayed for him; was my sin prayer? I sacrificed, he never bought. He nothing gave, he nothing took; We never bartered look for look. My voice rose in the sacred choir, The choir of Nuns; do you condemn Even if, when kneeling among them, Faith, zeal and love kindled a fire And I prayed for his happiness Who knew not? was my error this? I only prayed that in the end His trust and hope may not be vain. I prayed not we may meet again: I would not let our names ascend, No, not to Heaven, in the same breath; Nor will I join the two in death. Oh sweet is death; for I am weak And weary, and it giveth rest. The Crucifix lies on my breast, And all night long it seems to speak Of rest; I hear it through my sleep, And the great comfort makes me weep. Oh sweet is death that bindeth up The broken and the bleeding heart. The draught chilled, but a cordial part Lurked at the bottom of the cup; And for my patience will my Lord Give an exceeding great reward. Yea, the reward is almost won, A crown of glory and a palm. Soon I shall sing the unknown psalm; Soon gaze on light, not on the sun; And soon, with surer faith, shall pray For him, and cease not night nor day. My life is breaking like a cloud; God judgeth not as man doth judge. -- Nay, bear with me; you need not grudge This peace; the vows that I have vowed Have all been kept: Eternal Strength Holds me, though mine own fails at length. Bury me in the Convent ground Among the flowers that are so sweet; And lay a green turf at my feet, Where thick trees cast a gloom around. At my head let a Cross be, white Through the long blackness of the night. Now kneel and pray beside my bed That I may sleep being free from pain: And pray that I may wake again After His Likeness, Who hath said (Faithful is He Who promiseth,) We shall be satisfied Therewith. 3. My heart is as a freeborn bird Caged in my cruel breast, That flutters, flutters evermore, Nor sings, nor is at rest. But beats against the prison bars, As knowing its own nest Far off beyond the clouded West. My soul is as a hidden fount Shut in by clammy clay, That struggles with an upward moan; Striving to force its way Up through the turf, over the grass, Up, up into the day, Where twilight no more turneth grey. Oh for the grapes of the True Vine Growing in Paradise, Whose tendrils join the Tree of Life To that which maketh wise. Growing beside the Living Well Whose sweetest waters rise Where tears are wiped from tearful eyes. Oh for the waters of that Well Round which the Angels stand. Oh for the Shadow of the Rock On my heart's weary land. Oh for the Voice to guide me when I turn to either hand, Guiding me till I reach Heaven's strand. Thou World from which I am come out, Keep all thy gems and gold; Keep thy delights and precious things, Thou that art waxing old. My heart shall beat with a new life, When thine is dead and cold: When thou dost fear I shall be bold. When Earth shall pass away with all Her pride and pomp of sin, The City builded without hands Shall safely shut me in. All the rest is but vanity Which others strive to win: Where their hopes end my joys begin. I will not look upon a rose Though it is fair to see: The flowers planted in Paradise Are budding now for me. Red roses like love visible Are blowing on their tree, Or white like virgin purity. I will not look unto the sun Which setteth night by night: In the untrodden courts of Heaven My crown shall be more bright. Lo, in the New Jerusalem Founded and built aright My very feet shall tread on light. With foolish riches of this World I have bought treasure, where Nought perisheth: for this white veil I gave my golden hair; I gave the beauty of my face For vigils, fasts and prayer; I gave all for this Cross I bear. My heart trembled when first I took The vows which must be kept; At first it was a weariness To watch when once I slept. The path was rough and sharp with thorns; My feet bled as I stepped; The Cross was heavy and I wept. While still the names rang in mine ears Of daughter, sister, wife; The outside world still looked so fair To my weak eyes, and rife With beauty; my heart almost failed; Then in the desperate strife I prayed, as one who prays for life, Until I grew to love what once Had been so burdensome. So now when I am faint, because Hope deferred seems to numb My heart, I yet can plead; and say Although my lips are dumb: "The Spirit and the Bride say, Come." | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A FRIEND KILLED IN THE WAR by ANTHONY HECHT FOR JAMES MERRILL: AN ADIEU by ANTHONY HECHT TARANTULA: OR THE DANCE OF DEATH by ANTHONY HECHT CHAMPS D?ÇÖHONNEUR by ERNEST HEMINGWAY NOTE TO REALITY by TONY HOAGLAND 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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