Monday, June 1, 2009

Today's poem - Another Spring by Christina Georgina Rossetti

Another Spring
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.

17 comments:

  1. Beautiful poem, Nan and I love your header photo. Yae for spring!

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  2. I just adore Christina Rossetti's poems!

    Lezlie

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  3. Thanks, Kay! I have a newish late crabapple that blossoms now. How I love those pink flowers.

    Lezlie, me too, and isn't In The Bleak Midwinter just the best?!

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  4. 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;)

    Lezlie

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  5. 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:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRobryliBLQ

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  6. 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!

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  7. I 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.

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  8. My crabapple is blooming too.

    A 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!

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  9. Be glad today and sing! There's advice for you. And people say poetry isn't useful. I love the poem and the header!

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  10. Oh, Mary Lois, what a wonderful thing to say. I'm very touched. That hymn is one of my favorites in the world.

    Lisa, 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.

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  11. Dear Nan,
    Such 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

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  12. Nan, your header photo is gorgeous! And I love the poem.

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  13. Thank 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.
    I'm off to You Tube to follow your link.
    Carole.

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  14. 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!!!
    Carole

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  15. Joanne and Robin, thank you. There is so much beauty I could change my header every day! I love the poem, too.

    Carole, my gosh! We've been to Gloucester Cathedral! We rented a house in the tiny, beautiful Forthhampton.

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  16. 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 )

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  17. Nancy, 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? :<)

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