A Testimony by Christina Georgina Rossetti
A speaker writes that pleasure, suffering, wealth, labor, and wisdom are vanity, describing possessions lost and generations passing into death. The closing stanza recalls a wise king in Jerusalem who tested riches and pleasures and likewise declared everything vain.
By Christina Georgina Rossetti · Genre: Biblical Meditative Poetry, Philosophical Poetry · 791 words
First lines
I said of laughter, it is vain. / Of mirth I said, what profits it? / Therefore I found a book, and writ / Therein how ease and also pain, / How health and sickness, every one / Is vanity beneath the sun.
Man walks in a vain shadow; he / Disquieteth himself in vain. / The things that were shall be again. / The rivers do not fill the sea, / But turn back to their secret source; / The winds too turn upon their course.
Genres
- Biblical Meditative Poetry — Rhymed six-line stanzas meditate on vanity through biblical formulations about corruptible treasures, houses built on sand, and a wise king in Jerusalem.
- Philosophical Poetry — The speaker questions the value of pleasure, accumulation, work, and wisdom when death leaves rich and poor alike with dust.
Tags
mortality · worldly vanity · wealth · human labor · biblical reflection
What this Textopian page supports
A Testimony is listed on Textopian as a poem by Christina Georgina Rossetti, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Christina Georgina Rossetti
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Biblical Meditative Poetry, Philosophical Poetry
- Length: 791 words
- Structure: 1 section, 13 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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