Poems (Rossetti, 1901)/To-day's Burden
TO-DAY'S BURDEN.
"ARISE, depart, for this is not your rest."— Oh burden of all burdens, still to arise And still depart, nor rest in any wise!Rolling, still rolling thus to east from westEarth journeys on her immemorial quest. Whom a moon chases in no different guise:Thus stars pursue their courses, and thus fliesThe sun, and thus all creatures manifest.
Unrest the common heritage, the ban Flung broadcast on all humankind, on all Who live; for living, all are bound to die:That which is old, we know that it is man: These have no rest who sit and dream and sigh, Nor have those rest who wrestle and who fall.