Joy in Each Season (After Christina Rossetti’s “The One Certainty”)
Christina Rossetti wrote many sonnets, most of them very compelling. This poem is based on one of her more shocking sonnets, one inspired by the book of Ecclesiastes. You can read the original poem here. I have used Rossetti’s poem as my basis, but have tried to inject a bit more hope into its resolution.
Joy in Each Season (After “The One Certainty”)
One thing is sure: that underneath this sun
There is no new thing; age and age pass by;
The eye and ear are never satisfied
And every day ends like it has begun.
Tossed back and forth by blowing wind, we run
And gambol in the passing joy, yet sigh,
Caught in between the question and reply,
Tomorrow nothing new, today near done.
All this the Preacher saw and tells us now;
His findings – unresolved, vague – churn within.
Yet there is nothing better, he declares,
Than finding grateful joy in each affair,
Each orbit of this earth, each time therein,
And stand before our God, words few, and bow.
The Consolations of Writing 
Don’t know that her sonnet is ‘shocking’, probably just true to how she felt when writing it. perhaps she had no ‘passing joy’ at the time in her life sadly.
I love your response Matthew, very powerful, thank you.I will try and find ‘grateful joy’
No, I suppose “shocking” might be a slightly strong word! But I did find it surprising when I first read it. But then so is Ecclesiastes!
This was simply amazing! I love the way you followed the pattern of the Christina’s rhyme scheme in your new poem. Very well done!!!!
Thankyou! Christina is a wonderful poet to be working with 🙂
Very good; good to know that as Christians we are not confined to what is “beneath the sun”.