The Half Moon
Christina RossettiThe half moon shows a face of plaintive sweetness
Ready and poised to wax or wane;
A fire of pale desire in incompleteness,
Tending to pleasure or to pain: —
Lo, while we gaze she rolleth on in fleetness
To perfect loss or perfect gain.Half bitterness we know, we know half sweetness;
This world is all on wax, on wane:
When shall completeness round time's incompleteness,
Fulfilling joy, fulfilling pain? —
Lo, while we ask, life rolleth on in fleetness
To finished loss or finished gain.
Christina RossettiThe half moon shows a face of plaintive sweetness
Ready and poised to wax or wane;A fire of pale desire in incompleteness,
Tending to pleasure or to pain: —Lo, while we gaze she rolleth on in fleetness
To perfect loss or perfect gain.Half bitterness we know, we know half sweetness;This world is all on wax, on wane:When shall completeness round time's incompleteness,
Fulfilling joy, fulfilling pain? —Lo, while we ask, life rolleth on in fleetness
To finished loss or finished gain.