Soeur Louise de la Misericorde (1674)
Christina RossettiI have desired, and I have been desired;
But now the days are over of desire,
Now dust and dying embers mock my fire;
Where is the hire for which my life was hired?
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!Longing and love, pangs of a perished pleasure,
Longing and love, a disenkindled fire,
And memory a bottomless gulf of mire,
And love a fount of tears outrunning measure;
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!Now from my heart, love's deathbed, trickles, trickles,
Drop by drop slowly, drop by drop of fire,
The dross of life, of love, of spent desire;
Alas, my rose of life gone all to prickles,—
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!Oh vanity of vanities, desire;
Stunting my hope which might have strained up higher,
Turning my garden plot to barren mire;
Oh death-struck love, oh disenkindled fire,
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!
Christina RossettiI have desired, and I have been desired;
But now the days are over of desire,Now dust and dying embers mock my fire;Where is the hire for which my life was hired?
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!Longing and love, pangs of a perished pleasure,Longing and love, a disenkindled fire,And memory a bottomless gulf of mire,And love a fount of tears outrunning measure;
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!Now from my heart, love's deathbed, trickles, trickles,Drop by drop slowly, drop by drop of fire,The dross of life, of love, of spent desire;Alas, my rose of life gone all to prickles,—
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!Oh vanity of vanities, desire;Stunting my hope which might have strained up higher,Turning my garden plot to barren mire;Oh death-struck love, oh disenkindled fire,
Oh vanity of vanities, desire!