Classic and Contemporary Poetry
CHRISTIAN AND JEW; A DIALOGUE, by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Oh happy, happy land! Last Line: Let life begin.' Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina Subject(s): Christianity; Jews; Judaism | ||||||||
'OH happy happy land! Angels like rushes stand About the wells of light.' -- 'Alas, I have not eyes for this fair sight: Hold fast my hand.' -- 'As in a soft wind, they Bend all one blessed way, Each bowed in his own glory, star with star.' -- 'I cannot see so far; Here shadows are.' -- 'White-winged the cherubim, Yet whiter seraphim, Glow white with intense fire of love.' -- 'Mine eyes are dim: I look in vain above, And miss their hymn.' -- 'Angels, Archangels cry One to other ceaselessly (I hear them sing) One "Holy, Holy, Holy" to their King.' -- 'I do not hear them, I.' -- 'Joy to thee, Paradise, Garden and goal and nest! Made green for wearied eyes; Much softer than the breast Of mother-dove clad in a rainbow's dyes. 'All precious souls are there Most safe, elect by grace, All tears are wiped for ever from their face: Untired in prayer They wait and praise Hidden for a little space. 'Boughs of the Living Vine, They spread in summer shine Green leaf with leaf: Sap of the Royal Vine, it stirs like wine In all both less and chief. 'Sing to the Lord, All spirits of all flesh, sing; For He hath not abhorred Our low estate nor scorned our offering: Shout to our King.' -- 'But Zion said: My Lord forgetteth me. Lo she hath made her bed In dust; forsaken weepeth she Where alien rivers swell the sea. 'She laid her body as the ground, Her tender body as the ground to those Who passed; her harpstrings cannot sound In a strange land; discrowned She sits, and drunk with woes.' -- 'O drunken not with wine, Whose sins and sorrows have fulfilled the sum, -- Be not afraid, arise, be no more dumb; Arise, shine, For thy light is come.' -- 'Can these bones live?' -- 'God knows: The prophet saw such clothed with flesh and skin; A wind blew on them, and life entered in; They shook and rose. Hasten the time, O Lord, blot out their sin, Let life begin.' | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE RABBI'S SON-IN-LAW by SABINE BARING-GOULD A LITTLE HISTORY by DAVID LEHMAN FOR I WILL CONSIDER YOUR DOG MOLLY by DAVID LEHMAN JEWISH GRAVEYARDS, ITALY by PHILIP LEVINE NATIONAL THOUGHTS by YEHUDA AMICHAI SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#3): 2. ANGEL ... by MARVIN BELL 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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