Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE HALF MOON SHOWS A FACE OF PLAINTIVE SWEETNESS by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI

Poet Analysis

Last Line: To finished loss or finished gain
Subject(s): MOON; LIFE; JOY; PAIN ;
The half moon shows a face of plaintive sweetness
Ready and poised to wax or wane;
A fire of pale desire in incompleteness,
Tending to pleasure or to pain: ---
Lo, while we gaze she rolleth on in fleetness
To perfect loss or perfect gain.

Half bitterness we know, we know half sweetness;
The world is all on wax, on wane:
When shall completeness round time'''s incompleteness,
Fulfilling joy, fulfilling pain?
Lo, while we ask, life rolleth on in fleetness
To finished loss or finished gain.



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