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Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)

The Woodspurge


              1The wind flapp'd loose, the wind was still,
              2Shaken out dead from tree and hill:
              3I had walk'd on at the wind's will,--
              4I sat now, for the wind was still.

              5Between my knees my forehead was,--
              6My lips, drawn in, said not Alas!
              7My hair was over in the grass,
              8My naked ears heard the day pass.

              9My eyes, wide open, had the run
            10Of some ten weeds to fix upon;
            11Among those few, out of the sun,
            12The woodspurge flower'd, three cups in one.

            13From perfect grief there need not be
            14Wisdom or even memory:
            15One thing then learnt remains to me,--
            16The woodspurge has a cup of three.

Notes

1] The woodspurge, a plant of the very large genus Euphorbia, has a cup-like flower.

Online text copyright © 2009, Ian Lancashire (the Department of English) and the University of Toronto.
Published by the Web Development Group, Information Technology Services, University of Toronto Libraries.

Original text: Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Poems (Boston: Roberts Bros., 1870). PR 5240 E70 ROBA. Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Poems (London: Ellis and White, 1881). end R677 A155 1881 Fisher Rare Book Library (Toronto).
First publication date: 1870
RPO poem editor: Margaret Frances (Sister St. Francis) Nims
RP edition: 3RP 3.278.
Recent editing: 2:2002/3/13

Composition date: 1856
Rhyme: aaaa

Other poems by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

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