Dante Gabriel Rossetti

The House of Life. Sonnet 93. The Sun's Shame - 2

As some true chief of men, bowed down with stress
Of life's disastrous eld, on blossoming youth
May gaze, and murmur with self-pity and ruth,--
"Might I thy fruitless treasure but possess,
Such blessing of mine all coming years should bless";--
Then sends one sigh forth to the unknown goal,
And bitterly feels breathe against his soul
The hour swift-winged of nearer nothingness:

Even so the World's gray Soul to the green World
Perchance one hour must cry: "Woe's me, for whom
Inveteracy of ill portends the doom,
Whose heart's old fire in shadow of shame is furl'd:
While thou even as of yore art journeying,
All soulless now, yet merry with the Spring!"