Living

Vanity of Vanities

by Christina Rossetti 1830–1894

From The Prince's Progress and Other Poems (1866)

Living

Ah, woe is me for pleasure that is vain,
Ah, woe is me for glory that is past:
Pleasure that bringeth sorrow at the last,
Glory that at the last bringeth no gain!
So saith the sinking heart; and so again
It shall say till the mighty angel-blast
Is blown, making the sun and moon aghast
And showering down the stars like sudden rain.
And evermore men shall go fearfully
Bending beneath their weight of heaviness;
And ancient men shall lie down wearily,
And strong men shall rise up in weariness;
Yea, even the young shall answer sighingly
Saying one to another: How vain it is!

MLA

Rossetti, Christina. “Vanity of Vanities.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/302/.

Chicago

Rossetti, Christina. “Vanity of Vanities.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/302/.

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