Religion

Ye that fear him, both small and great

by Christina Rossetti 1830–1894

From Verses (1893)

Religion

Great or small below,
Great or small above;
Be we Thine, whom Thou dost know
And love;

First or last on earth,
First or last in Heaven;
Only weighted with Thy worth,
And shriven.

Wise or ignorant,
Strong or weak; Amen;
Sifted now, cast down, in want:—
But then?

Then,—when sun nor moon,
Time nor death, finds place,
Seeing in the eternal noon
Thy Face:

Then,—when tears and sighing,
Changes, sorrows, cease;
Living by Thy Life undying
In peace:

Then,—when all creation
Keeps its jubilee,
Crowned amid Thy holy nation;
Crowned, discrowned, in adoration
Of Thee.

✦ ✦ ✦

Verses (1893), section: Songs for Strangers and Pilgrims.

MLA

Rossetti, Christina. “Ye that fear him, both small and great.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/847/.

Chicago

Rossetti, Christina. “Ye that fear him, both small and great.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/847/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Christina Rossetti