Tempus Fugit by Christina Georgina Rossetti
Spring passes swiftly, summer hastens away, and autumn remains incomplete amid a moaning blast. The seasons move toward winter as the speaker reflects that nothing lasts or can be held onto.
By Christina Georgina Rossetti · Genre: Seasonal Poetry, Meditative Poetry · 144 words
First lines
Lovely Spring, / A brief sweet thing, / Is swift on the wing; / Gracious Summer, / A slow sweet comer, / Hastens past; / Autumn while sweet / Is all incomplete / With a moaning blast, -- / Nothing can last, / Can be cleaved unto, / Can be dwelt upon; / It is hurried through, / It is come and gone, / Undone it cannot be done, / It is ever to do, / Ever old, ever new, / Ever waxing old / And lapsing to Winter cold.
Genres
- Seasonal Poetry — The verse follows spring, summer and autumn into winter, contrasting their sweetness with their passing.
- Meditative Poetry — The speaker moves from the passing seasons to reflections on what cannot last or be held onto.
Tags
passing time · seasons · impermanence · winter
What this Textopian page supports
Tempus Fugit 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: Seasonal Poetry, Meditative Poetry
- Length: 144 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
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