Passing And Glassing
By Christina Georgina Rossetti
ALL things that pass
Are woman’s looking-glass;
They show her how her bloom must fade,
And she herself be laid
With wither’d roses in the shade; 5
With wither’d roses and the fallen peach,
Unlovely, out of reach
Of summer joy that was.
All things that pass
Are woman’s tiring-glass; 10
The faded lavender is sweet,
Sweet the dead violet
Cull’d and laid by and car’d for yet;
The dried-up violets and dried lavender
Still sweet, may comfort her, 15
Nor need she cry Alas!
All things that pass
Are wisdom’s looking-glass;
Being full of hope and fear, and still
Brimful of good or ill, 20
According to our work and will;
For there is nothing new beneath the sun;
Our doings have been done,
And that which shall be was.
