Classic and Contemporary Poetry
SIR EUSTACE GREY (SEE CRABBE), by CHRISTINA GEORGINA ROSSETTI Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: When I die, oh lay me low Last Line: Death is immortality. Alternate Author Name(s): Alleyne, Ellen; Rossetti, Christina Subject(s): Crabbe, George (1754-1832); Death; Fear; Graves; Life; Love; Dead, The; Tombs; Tombstones | ||||||||
When I die, oh lay me low Where the greenest grasses grow; Where the happy stream meanders; Where the deer securely wanders; Where the sweet birds sit and sing In the branches quivering; Where the violets spring to die, And the breezes passing by, Laden with their fragrant breath, Scarcely seem to tell of death; Where the sun can dart no ray In the noon-tide of his day; Where upon the fertile ground Broods an everlasting shade, And a strange, mysterious sound By the rustling boughs is made, And all's quiet, meet for one Whose long, toilsome race is run. O'er my grave the turf extend, But beside me lay no friend, And above me place no stone; I would lie there all alone, Unremembered or unknown. Soon forgotten, none will taunt me; Soon forgetting, none will haunt me Of the ghosts of former pleasures Meted out with scanty measures. Resting from all human passion, From earth's hate and its compassion, From its hope and fear, from love Stedfast as the stars above, That shine clearly down for ever On some cold, unglowing river; By my faith and hope sure lighted Through the darkness of the tomb; And by Heavenly Love requited For whatever love was slighted, And whatever joy was blighted By earth's coldness and its gloom, In the grave I'll rest secure Till the appointed time is o'er, And the work of love is done, And the great sin; and the sun Sets in night to rise no more. What is life but toil and riot? What is death but rest and quiet? Life is but a dream of trouble, Death calm sleep from visions free; Life is but a bursting bubble, Death is immortality. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE SURVIVOR AMONG GRAVES by RANDALL JARRELL SUBJECTED EARTH by ROBINSON JEFFERS THE GRAVE OF MRS. HEMANS by CECIL FRANCES ALEXANDER THOSE GRAVES IN ROME by LARRY LEVIS NOT TO BE DWELLED ON by HEATHER MCHUGH ONE LAST DRAW OF THE PIPE by PAUL MULDOON ETRUSCAN TOMB by JOHN FREDERICK NIMS ENDING WITH A LINE FROM LEAR 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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