Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, CANNOT SWEETEN', by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

CANNOT SWEETEN', by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: If that's water you wash your hands in
Last Line: Dropping dropping dropping on it
Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina
Subject(s): Blood; Sin; Deception


If that's water you wash your hands in
Why is it black as ink is black? ''"
Because my hands are foul with my folly:
Oh the lost time that comes not back! ''"

If that's water you bathe your feet in
Why is it red as wine is red? ''"
Because my feet sought blood in their goings;
Red red is the track they tread. ''"

Slew you mother or slew you father
That your foulness passeth not by? ''"
Not father and oh not mother:
I slew my love with an evil eye. ''"

Slew you sister or slew you brother
That in peace you have not a part? ''"
Not brother and oh not sister:
I slew my love with a hardened heart.

He loved me because he loved me,
Not for grace or beauty I had;
He loved me because he loved me;
For his loving me I was glad.

Yet I loved him not for his loving
While I played with his love and truth,
Not loving him for his loving,
Wasting his joy, wasting his youth.

I ate his life as a banquet,
I drank his life as new wine,
I fattened upon his leanness,
Mine to flourish and his to pine.

So his life fled as running water,
So it perished as water spilt:
If black my hands and my feet as scarlet,
Blacker redder my heart of guilt.

Cold as a stone, as hard, as heavy;
All my sighs ease it no whit,
All my tears make it no cleaner
Dropping dropping dropping on it.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net