Poems by Christina Georgina Rossetti Part 13

New Year met me somewhat sad: Old Year leaves me tired, Stripped of favorite things I had, Balked of much desired: Yet farther on my road to-day, G.o.d willing, farther on my way.

New Year coming on apace What have you to give me?

Bring you scathe, or bring you grace, Face me with an honest face; You shall not deceive me: Be it good or ill, be it what you will, It needs shall help me on my road, My rugged way to heaven, please G.o.d.

2.

Watch with me, men, women, and children dear, You whom I love, for whom I hope and fear, Watch with me this last vigil of the year.

Some hug their business, some their pleasure-scheme; Some seize the vacant hour to sleep or dream; Heart locked in heart some kneel and watch apart.

Watch with me, blessed spirits, who delight All through the holy night to walk in white, Or take your ease after the long-drawn fight.

I know not if they watch with me: I know They count this eve of resurrection slow, And cry, "How long?" with urgent utterance strong.

Watch with me, Jesus, in my loneliness: Though others say me nay, yet say Thou yes; Though others pa.s.s me by, stop Thou to bless.

Yea, Thou dost stop with me this vigil night; To-night of pain, to-morrow of delight: I, Love, am Thine; Thou, Lord, my G.o.d, art mine.

3.

Pa.s.sing away, saith the World, pa.s.sing away: Chances, beauty and youth sapped day by day: Thy 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.

Pa.s.sing away, saith my Soul, pa.s.sing 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 c.o.c.k-crow, at morning, one certain day Lo, the Bridegroom shall come and shall not delay: Watch thou and pray.

Then I answered: Yea.

Pa.s.sing away, saith my G.o.d, pa.s.sing away: Winter pa.s.seth after the long delay: New grapes on the vine, new figs on the tender spray, Turtle calleth turtle in Heaven's May.

Though 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.

AMEN.

It is over. What is over?

Nay, how much is over truly!-- Harvest days we toiled to sow for; Now the sheaves are gathered newly, Now the wheat is garnered duly.

It is finished. What is finished?

Much is finished known or unknown: Lives are finished; time diminished; Was the fallow field left unsown?

Will these buds be always unblown?

It suffices. What suffices?

All suffices reckoned rightly: Spring shall bloom where now the ice is, Roses make the bramble sightly, And the quickening sun shine brightly, And the latter wind blow lightly, And my garden teem with spices.

MOTHER COUNTRY.

Oh what is that country And where can it be, Not mine own country, But dearer far to me?

Yet mine own country, If I one day may see Its spices and cedars, Its gold and ivory.

As I lie dreaming It rises, that land; There rises before me Its green golden strand, With the bowing cedars And the shining sand; It sparkles and flashes Like a shaken brand.

Do angels lean nearer While I lie and long?

I see their soft plumage And catch their windy song, Like the rise of a high tide Sweeping full and strong; I mark the outskirts Of their reverend throng.

Oh what is a king here, Or what is a boor?

Here all starve together, All dwarfed and poor; Here Death's hand knocketh At door after door, He thins the dancers From the festal floor.

Oh what is a handmaid, Or what is a queen?

All must lie down together Where the turf is green, The foulest face hidden, The fairest not seen; Gone as if never They had breathed or been.

Gone from sweet sunshine Underneath the sod, Turned from warm flesh and blood To senseless clod; Gone as if never They had toiled or trod, Gone out of sight of all Except our G.o.d.

Shut into silence From the accustomed song Shut into solitude From all earth's throng, Run down though swift of foot, Thrust down though strong; Life made an end of, Seemed it short or long.

Life made an end of, Life but just begun; Life finished yesterday, Its last sand run; Life new-born with the morrow Fresh as the sun: While done is done for ever; Undone, undone.

And if that life is life, This is but a breath, The pa.s.sage of a dream And the shadow of death; But a vain shadow If one considereth; Vanity of vanities, As the Preacher saith.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The long hours go and come and go_]

THE PRINCE'S PROGRESS, ETC.

THE PRINCE'S PROGRESS.

Till all sweet gums and juices flow, Till the blossom of blossoms blow, The long hours go and come and go, The bride she sleepeth, waketh, sleepeth, Waiting for one whose coming is slow:-- Hark! the bride weepeth.

"How long shall I wait, come heat come rime?"-- "Till the strong Prince comes, who must come in time,"

Her women say. "There's a mountain to climb, A river to ford. Sleep, dream and sleep: Sleep," they say: "we've m.u.f.fled the chime, Better dream than weep."

In his world-end palace the strong Prince sat, Taking his ease on cushion and mat, Close at hand lay his staff and his hat "When wilt thou start? the bride waits, O youth."-- "Now the moon's at full; I tarried for that, Now I start in truth.