While roses are so red,

While lilies are so white,

Shall a woman exalt her face

Because it gives delight?

She's not so sweet as a rose,

A lily's straighter than she,

And if she were as red or white

She'd be but one of three.

Whether she flush in love's summer

Or in its winter grow pale, 10

Whether she flaunt her beauty

Or hide it away in a veil,

Be she red or white,

And stand she erect or bowed,

Time will win the race he runs with her

And hide her away in a shroud.

Poetry of Christina Rossetti - Complete Text

Poetry of Christina Rossetti E-Text contains the full text of Poetry of Christina Rossetti

• Table of Contents
• Goblin Market
• In The Round Tower At Jhansi
• Dream Land
• At Home
• A Triad
• Love From The North
• Winter Rain
• Cousin Kate
• Noble Sisters
• Spring
• The Lambs Of Grasmere, 1860
• A Birthday
• Remember
• After Death
• An End
• My Dream
• Song: Oh Roses For the Flush of Youth
• The Hour And The Ghost
• A Summer Wish
• An Apple Gathering
• Song
• Maude Clare
• Echo
• My Secret
• Another Spring
• A Peal Of Bells
• Fata Morgana
• 'No, Thank You, John'
• May
• A Pause Of Thought
• Twilight Calm
• Wife To Husband
• Three Seasons
• Mirage
• Shut Out
• Sound Sleep
• Song ('She sat and sang alway')
• Song ('When I am dead, my dearest')
• Dead Before Death
• Bitter For Sweet
• Sister Maude
• Rest
• The First Spring Day
• The Convent Threshold
• Up-Hill
• Devotional Pieces: 'The Love Of Christ Which Passeth Knowledge'
• Devotional Pieces: 'A Bruised Reed Shall He Not Break'
• Devotional Pieces: A Better Resurrection
• Devotional Pieces: Advent
• Devotional Pieces: The Three Enemies
• Devotional Pieces: The One Certainty
• Devotional Pieces: Christian And Jew
• Devotional Pieces: Sweet Death
• Devotional Pieces: Symbols
• Devotional Pieces: 'Consider The Lilies Of The Field'
• Devotional Pieces: The World
• Devotional Pieces: A Testimony
• Devotional Pieces: Sleep At Sea
• Devotional Pieces: From House To Home
• Devotional Pieces: Old And New Year Ditties
• Devotional Pieces: Amen
• The Prince's Progress
• Maiden-Song
• Jessie Cameron
• Spring Quiet
• The Poor Ghost
• A Portrait
• Dream-Love
• Twice
• Songs In A Cornfield
• A Year's Windfalls
• The Queen Of Hearts
• One Day
• A Bird's-Eye View
• Light Love
• A Dream
• A Ring Posy
• Beauty Is Vain
• Lady Maggie
• What Would I Give
• The Bourne
• Summer
• Autumn
• The Ghost's Petition
• Memory
• A Royal Princess
• Shall I Forget?
• Vanity Of Vanities
• L. E. L.
• Life And Death
• Bird Or Beast?
• Eve
• Grown And Flown
• A Farm Walk
• Somewhere Or Other
• A Chill
• A Child's Talk In April
• Gone For Ever
• Under The Rose
• Devotional Pieces: Despised And Rejected
• Devotional Pieces: Long Barren
• Devotional Pieces: If Only
• Devotional Pieces: Dost Thou Not Care?
• Devotional Pieces: Weary In Well-Doing
• Devotional Pieces: Martyrs' Song
• Devotional Pieces: After This The Judgement
• Devotional Pieces: Good Friday
• Devotional Pieces: The Lowest Place
• Death's Chill Between
• Heart's Chill Between
• Repining
• Sit Down In The Lowest Room
• My Friend
• Last Night
• Consider
• Helen Grey
• By The Waters Of Babylon
• Seasons
• Mother Country
• A Smile And A Sigh
• Dead Hope
• Autumn Violets
• 'They Desire A Better Country'
• The Offering Of The New Law, The One Oblation Once Offered
• Conference Between Christ, The Saints, And The Soul
• Come Unto Me
• Jesus, Do I Love Thee?
• I Know You Not
• 'Before The Paling Of The Stars'
• Easter Even
• Paradise: In A Dream
• Within The Veil
• Paradise: In A Symbol
• Amor Mundi
• Who Shall Deliver Me?
• If
• Twilight Night
• Sources