By the Waters of Babylon
An exile laments captivity, bodily suffering, and what the speaker regards as God's punishment, while remembering a homeland now occupied by strangers. Recalling the violence inflicted by the speaker's own people, the lament describes their daughters, sisters, and wives now enslaved by enemies. The speaker appeals to God's promise to David and vows to continue praising God despite abandonment and approaching death.
By Christina Georgina Rossetti · Genre: Religious Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, Biblical Poetry · 1,072 words
First lines
B. C. 570.
Genres
- Religious Poetry — The verse addresses God, interprets captivity as divine punishment, and ends with a pledge of praise despite suffering.
- Dramatic Monologue — A captive speaker sustains a first-person lament, recalling a lost home and speaking for a scattered people.
- Biblical Poetry — The speaker invokes Sodom, Jericho, the Red Sea, and God's promise to David while pleading for deliverance.
Tags
exile · captivity · divine punishment · lost homeland · lament · faith
What this Textopian page supports
By the Waters of Babylon 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: Religious Poetry, Dramatic Monologue, Biblical Poetry
- Length: 1,072 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Difficult (College Level)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for By the Waters of Babylon by Christina Georgina Rossetti
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
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