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Rossetti Archive Textual Transcription

Document Title: Afterwards
Author: Dante Gabriel Rossetti
Date of Composition: 1848
Type of Manuscript: Draft manuscript

The full Rossetti Archive record for this transcribed document is available.

Image of page [1] page: [1]
more about Afterwards
Unburied Death.
Note: “17.” is written before the title, to indicate the poem's number in the sonnet sequence. In addition, beside the title lies a plus sign written in ink. A final note at the bottom records that the sonnet was completed in 7 minutes.
  • She opened her moist crimson lips to sing;
  • And from her throat that is so white and full
  • The notes leaped like a fountain. A smooth lull
  • Was o'er my heart: as when a viol-string
  • Having been broken, and the first musical ring
  • Once over, – all the rest is but a dull
  • Crude dissonanceEcholess jar, howe'er thou twist and pull
  • The sundered fragments. A most weary thing
  • It is within the perished heart to seek
  • 10Pain, and not find it; but a sort of pall
  • Like sleep upon the mind. A cold set plan
  • Of life then comes; and grief that is not weak
  • Because it hath no tears. Say, can'st thou call
  • This life a life, friend, or this man a man.
G 7 m.
Electronic Archive Edition: 1
Source File: 14-1848.dukems.rad.xml
Copyright: Special Collection Library, Duke University