by Christina Georgina Rossetti
If I might see another Spring,
I’d not plant summer flowers and wait:
I’d have my crocuses at once,
My leafless pink mezereons,
My chill-veined snowdrops, choicer yet
My white or azure-violet,
Leaf-nested primrose; anything
To blow at once, not late.
If I might see another Spring,
I’d listen to the daylight birds
That build their nests and pair and sing,
Nor wait for mateless nightingale;
I’d listen to the lusty herds,
The ewes with lambs as white as snow,
I’d find out music in the hail
And all the winds that blow.
If I might see another Spring—
Oh stinging comment on my past
That all my past results in “if”—
If I might see another Spring
I’d laugh to-day, to-day is brief;
I would not wait for anything:
I’d use to-day that cannot last,
Be glad to-day and sing.
Beautiful poem, Nan and I love your header photo. Yae for spring!
ReplyDeleteI just adore Christina Rossetti's poems!
ReplyDeleteLezlie
Thanks, Kay! I have a newish late crabapple that blossoms now. How I love those pink flowers.
ReplyDeleteLezlie, me too, and isn't In The Bleak Midwinter just the best?!
I don't know that one. I have her Complete Poems sitting on my shelf thought, so guess what I'll be looking up! :-) My favorite is "Song" (When I am dead, my dearest,\Sing no sad songs for me;)
ReplyDeleteLezlie
Lezlie, I wonder if it is in a poem book. I know In The Bleak Midwinter as a hymn; as a Christmas song. Her words, with the music of Gustav Holst are perfect. Hey! I just found a you tube - words are shown while a choir sings it:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRobryliBLQ
Nan, I believe every day is the sabbath at your house. This is a beautiful picture and poem--and I'm going straight to the YouTube link and hear a hymn!
ReplyDeleteI love this poem. It reminded me that I had another spring when we visited family in Michigan. Their weather/flowers were at least two weeks behind our climate. It was fun to have two springs.
ReplyDeleteMy crabapple is blooming too.
ReplyDeleteA lovely poem - thought-provoking - especially these lines:
If I might see another Spring—
Oh stinging comment on my past
That all my past results in “if”
I'll be glad today and sing.
Celebrating spring with you!
Be glad today and sing! There's advice for you. And people say poetry isn't useful. I love the poem and the header!
ReplyDeleteOh, Mary Lois, what a wonderful thing to say. I'm very touched. That hymn is one of my favorites in the world.
ReplyDeleteLisa, I think because of being on a windy hill, our spring comes later than even a few miles away, so I get that experience you noted, too. I just went by a place today and saw their lupines in bloom, and thought ours won't be like that for maybe a week!
Island Sparrow, you know what I just realized? The poem and the quote from October Road say pretty much the same thing!
Commonweeder, thanks so much! I think poetry goes right to the heart of life.
Dear Nan,
ReplyDeleteSuch beauty! Lovely Spring header once again!
And...
Christina Rossetti is one of my favourite poets....just love it!
Celebrating Spring with you!
Joanne in Ontario
Nan, your header photo is gorgeous! And I love the poem.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that Nan, isn't she brilliant? Spring is over for us here in the U.K. but we are being blessed with a glorious summer.
ReplyDeleteI'm off to You Tube to follow your link.
Carole.
Oh my goodness, the clip was from Gloucester Cathedral, just down the road a few miles from where I live, it made me all weepy!! It is the most beautiful cathedral, I gather part of Harry Potter was filmed there too!!!
ReplyDeleteCarole
Joanne and Robin, thank you. There is so much beauty I could change my header every day! I love the poem, too.
ReplyDeleteCarole, my gosh! We've been to Gloucester Cathedral! We rented a house in the tiny, beautiful Forthhampton.
Christina Rossetti has been a favourite of mine since I read The Goblin Market, waaaay back when. :) "Remember Me" is one of my favourites -- but I very much like this poem you've posted. Its sentiment must ring still in the hearts of most of the people we know. (If you love our Sarah the way I do, you might like to check out this version of In The Bleak MidWinter...it's my favourite. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0mcEs-zZGg )
ReplyDeleteNancy, I do love Sarah M. and even went to a Lilith Fair eleven (is it possible?!) years ago. But I don't like her version of the Midwinter song. Who knows why? :<)
ReplyDelete