Religion

The joy of Saints, like incense turned to fire

by Christina Rossetti 1830–1894

From Verses (1893)

Religion

The joy of Saints, like incense turned to fire
In golden censers, soars acceptable;
And high their heavenly hallelujahs swell
Desirous still with still-fulfilled desire.
Sweet thrill the harpstrings of the heavenly choir,
Most sweet their voice while love is all they tell;
Where love is all in all, and all is well
Because their work is love and love their hire.
All robed in white and all with palm in hand,
Crowns too they have of gold and thrones of gold;
The street is golden which their feet have trod,
Or on a sea of glass and fire they stand:
And none of them is young, and none is old,
Except as perfect by the Will of God.

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Verses (1893), section: New Jerusalem and Its Citizens.

MLA

Rossetti, Christina. “The joy of Saints, like incense turned to fire.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/807/.

Chicago

Rossetti, Christina. “The joy of Saints, like incense turned to fire.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/807/.

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