Ascension and Pentecost with Christina Rossetti

Christina Rossetti, whom we met on this blog back in January, was a devout Christian and used her substantial talent to praise God with her poetry. She wrote poems for almost every church holiday or season. Since last Thursday was Ascension Day and next Sunday is Pentecost (or Whit Sunday as it was called back in the day) we’ll look at her poems for these days.

Ascension Day

“A Cloud received Him out of their sight.”

When Christ went up to Heaven the Apostles stayed
Gazing at Heaven with souls and wills on fire,
Their hearts on flight along the track He made,
Winged by desire.

Their silence spake: “Lord, why not follow Thee?
Home is not home without Thy Blessed Face,
Life is not life. Remember, Lord, and see,
Look back, embrace.

“Earth is one desert waste of banishment,
Life is one long-drawn anguish of decay.
Where Thou wert wont to go we also went:
Why not today?”

Nevertheless a cloud cut off their gaze:
They tarry to build up Jerusalem,
Watching for Him, while thro’ the appointed days
He watches them.

They do His Will, and doing it rejoice,
Patiently glad to spend and to be spent:
Still He speaks to them, still they hear His Voice
And are content.

For as a cloud received Him from their sight,
So with a cloud will He return ere long:
Therefore they stand on guard by day, by night,
Strenuous and strong.

They do, they dare, they beyond seven times seven
Forgive, they cry God’s mighty word aloud:
Yet sometimes haply lift tired eyes to Heaven–
“Is that His cloud?”

Whitsun Day

“When the Day of Pentecost was fully come.”

 

At sound as of rushing wind, and sight as of fire,

Lo! flesh and blood made spirit and fiery flame,

Ambassadors in Christ’s and the Father’s Name,

To woo back a world’s desire.

 

These men chose death for their life and shame for their boast,

For fear courage, for doubt intuition of faith,

Chose love that is strong as death and stronger than death

In the power of the Holy Ghost.