Christina Georgina Rossetti, The Poetry Of: "Better by far you should forget and smile, than that you should remember and be sad."

By Christina Georgina Rossetti

Christina Georgina Rossetti – An Introduction. Christina was born in London in 1830 one of four children who were all to become artists and writers. Educated at home, her life was filled with the Italian influences of her Father and the wide ranging interests of her mother. She began to write at age 12 as her Fathers health broke and the family’s descended to near poverty. She first published aged 18 and over the following decade her writing was to flourish and in 1860 her most famous work Goblin Market was released and her reputation was set. A sufferer from Graves disease from the 1870’s she also developed breast cancer which subsequently recurred and was to cause her death in 1894. She is buried in Highgate Cemetery. Many of these titles are on our audiobook version which can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Copyright Group
• Release date: Sep 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781780005492

Book preview

Christina Georgina Rossetti, The Poetry

Poetry is a fascinating use of language.  With almost a million words at its command it is not surprising that these Isles have produced some of the most beautiful, moving and descriptive verse through the centuries.  In this series we look at individual poets who have shaped and influenced their craft and cement their place in our heritage.

Christina Georgina Rossetti was born in London in 1830 one of four children who were all to become artists and writers. Educated at home, her life was filled with the Italian influences of her Father and the wide ranging interests of her mother. She began to write at age 12 just at the time her Fathers health broke and the family descended to near poverty.  She was first published aged 18 and over the following decade her writing was to flourish and in 1860 her most famous work Goblin Market was released and her reputation was set.  A sufferer from Graves disease from the 1870’s she also developed breast cancer which subsequently recurred and was to cause her death in 1894. She is buried in Highgate Cemetery.

Many of the poems are also available as an audiobook from our sister company Portable Poetry.  Many samples are at our youtube channel   http://www.youtube.com/user/PortablePoetry?feature=mhee   The full volume can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores.  Among our readers are David Shaw-Parker, Ghizela Rowe and Richard Mitchley.

Index Of Poems

A PAUSE OF THOUGHT

A STUDY (A Soul)

BITTER FOR SWEET

BY THE SEA

FERRY ME ACROSS THE WATER

GOODBYE IN FEAR GOODBYE IN SORROW

IF ALL WERE RAIN AND NEVER SUN

IF STARS DROPPED OUT OF HEAVEN

IS THE MOON TIRED? SHE LOOKS SO PALE

LONG BARREN

MIX A PANCAKE

ONE SEA SIDE GRAVE

REQUIEM

SAPPHO

SONNETS ARE FULL OF LOVE

WIFE TO HUSBAND

GOBLIN MARKET

AN OCTOBER GARDEN

CHRISTMAS EVE

GOOD FRIDAY

A YEARS WINDFALLS

HOW MANY SECONDS IN A MINUTE

WHO HAS SEEN THE WIND

AN EMERALD IS AS GREEN AS GREEN

IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER

WINTER – MY SECRET

JANUARY COLD DESOLATE

AFTER THIS JUDGEMENT

AFTER DEATH

DEAD BEFORE DEATH

LIFE AND DEATH

REMEMBER

A BETTER RESURRECTION

DE PROFUNDIS

DREAM LAND

PASSING AWAY, SAITH THE WORLD

THE CONVENT THRESHOLD

THE THREAD OF LIFE

BIRD RAPTURES

TWILIGHT CALM

COBWEBS

A PAUSE OF THOUGHT

I looked for that which is not, nor can be,

And hope deferred made my heart sick in truth:

But years must pass before a hope of youth

Is resigned utterly.

I watched and waited with a steadfast will:

And though the object seemed to flee away

That I so longed for, ever day by day

I watched and waited still.

Sometimes I said: This thing shall be no more;

My expectation wearies and shall cease;

I will resign it now and be at peace:

Yet never gave it o'er.

Sometimes I said: It is an empty name

I long for; to a name why should I give

The peace of all the days I have to live?—

Yet gave it all the same.

Alas, thou foolish one! alike unfit

For healthy joy and salutary pain:

Thou knowest the chase useless, and again

Turnest to follow it.

A STUDY (A Soul)

She stands as pale as Parian statues stand;

Like Cleopatra when

Reviews for Christina Georgina Rossetti, The Poetry Of

[big_bang_gorilla · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

If you like the poet, this is a handsome volume done up with decoration and typeface that mimic the period very well.

[porian_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A nice selection of Ms Rossetti's classic. The layout is nice and the print is agreeable, but there are no scholarly notes to distract a reader with. The book often only quotes parts of poems, which gets annoying when you keep seeing the same title over and over, but it gives a great range of poetry from the religious verse to love poetry to children's rhymes. She has the most marvelous ear and can pull off some rhymes that most normally can't.