Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, PASSING AWAY, by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

PASSING AWAY, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Passing away, saith the world, passing away
Last Line: Then I answered: yea.
Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina
Subject(s): Change; Time; Transience; Impermanence


Passing away, saith the World, passing away:
Chances, beauty and youth sapped day by day:
The life never continueth in one stay.
Is the eye waxen dim, is the dark hair changing to gray
That hath won neither laurel nor bay?
I shall clothe myself in Spring and bud in May:
Thou, root-stricken, shalt not rebuild thy decay
On my bosom for aye.
Then I answered: Yea.

Passing away, saith my Soul, passing away:
With its burden of fear and hope, of labor and play;
Hearken what the past doth witness and say:
Rust in thy gold, a moth is in thine array,
A canker is in thy bud, thy leaf must decay.
At midnight, at cockcrow, at morning, one certain day
Lo the bridegroom shall come and shall not delay:
Watch thou and pray.
Then I answered: Yea.

Passing away, saith my God, passing away:
Winter passeth after the long delay:
New grapes on the vine, new figs on the tender spray,
Turtle calleth turtle in Heaven's May.
Tho' I tarry, wait for Me, trust Me, watch and pray.
Arise, come away, night is past and lo it is day,
My love, My sister, My spouse, thou shalt hear Me say.
Then I answered: Yea.




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