Poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti

On Leaving Bruges

The city's steeple-towers remove away,
Each singly; as each vain infatuate Faith
Leaves God in heaven, and passes. A mere breath
Each soon appears, so far. Yet that which lay
The first is now scarce further or more grey
Than the last is. Now all are wholly gone.
The sunless sky has not once had the sun
Since the first weak beginning of the day.
The air falls back as the wind finishes,
And the clouds stagnate. On the water's face
The current breathes along, but is not stirred.
There is no branch that thrills with any bird.
Winter is to possess the earth a space,
And have its will upon the extreme seas. 

1. The House of Life. Sonnet 70. The Hill Summit
2. The House of Life. Sonnet 66. The Heart of the Night
3. The House of Life. Sonnet 27. Heart's Compass
4. The House of Life. Sonnet 92. The Sun's Shame - 1
5. The House of Life. Sonnet 74. Old and New Art - 1. St. Luke the Painter

Print

1268 Views

Last Poems

To Russian version