The Easter Day poems of Christina Rossetti

Picture from here.

EASTER DAY

~by Christina Georgina Rossetti

Words cannot utter

   Christ his returning:

Mankind, keep jubilee,

   Strip off your mourning,

Crown with garlands,

   Set your lamps burning.

Speech is left speechless;

   Set you to singing,

Fling your hearts open wide,

   Set your bells ringing:

Christ the Chief Reaper

   Comes, His sheaf bringing.

Earth wakes her song-birds,

   Puts on her flowers,

Leads out her lambkins,

   Builds up her bowers:

This is man’s spousal day,

   Christ’s day and ours.

EASTER MORNING

~by Christina Georgina Rossetti

            1

The sun arises from the sea,

   And all around his rays is flinging,

The flowers are opening on the lea,

   The merry birds are singing.

            2

The summer breeze is rustling past,

   Sweet scents are gathering around it,

The rivulet is flowing fast,

   Beside the banks that bound it.

            3

All nature seemeth to rejoice,

   In the returning summer weather;

Let us with nature raise our voice,

   And harmonise together.

            4

But not alone for summer skies

   Shall praise unto our God be given:

This day our Saviour did arise,

   And oped the gate of heaven.

            5

To sinful man, if only he

   His errings will confess with sorrow,

Then, after earth's night-misery,

   Shall dawn a glorious morrow:

            6

A blissful bright eternity

   Bought by the rising of the Giver,

To Whom all praise, all honour be,

   For ever and for ever.