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Life and Death by Christina Rossetti

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Rossetti's poem suggests that life isn't sweet or good; instead, death — rather than a source of fear — brings relief and rest.

Poet
Christina Rossetti
Core theme
Death
The PoemFull text

Life and Death

Christina Rossetti

Life is not sweet. One day it will be sweet To shut our eyes and die: Nor feel the wild flowers blow, nor birds dart by With flitting butterfly, Nor grass grow long above our heads and feet, Nor hear the happy lark that soars sky high, Nor sigh that spring is fleet and summer fleet, Nor mark the waxing wheat, Nor know who sits in our accustomed seat. Life is not good. One day it will be good 10 To die, then live again; To sleep meanwhile: so not to feel the wane Of shrunk leaves dropping in the wood, Nor hear the foamy lashing of the main, Nor mark the blackened bean-fields, nor where stood Rich ranks of golden grain Only dead refuse stubble clothe the plain: Asleep from risk, asleep from pain.

Public domain

Sourced from Project Gutenberg

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Study sheet (PDF)

§01Quick summary

What this poem is about

Rossetti's poem suggests that life isn't sweet or good; instead, death — rather than a source of fear — brings relief and rest. The speaker anticipates death as an escape from the tiring cycle of seasons, loss, and change. After this rest, resurrection follows: awakening to something greater than what life could ever provide.

§02Themes

Recurring themes

§03Line by line

Stanza by stanza, with notes

  1. Life is not sweet. One day it will be sweet / To shut our eyes and die:

    Editor's note

    Rossetti begins with a stark, jarring claim — life is not sweet — then quickly turns it around: the sweet thing will be death. The colon propels us onward, suggesting she’s about to clarify her point. Shutting our eyes evokes a gentle, sleep-like image of death, transforming what might seem grim into something that feels almost peaceful.

  2. Nor feel the wild flowers blow, nor birds dart by / With flitting butterfly,

    Editor's note

    Here begins a long list of things the dead will no longer experience: flowers, birds, butterflies, grass growing over graves, the lark, the changing seasons, ripening wheat, and the sight of someone else sitting in your chair. The interesting part is that all these are beautiful things — yet Rossetti presents *not* experiencing them as a relief. This tension is what makes the stanza resonate: the beauty of life comes with its own burdens.

  3. Life is not good. One day it will be good / To die, then live again;

    Editor's note

    The second stanza closely follows the structure of the first, but introduces an important new concept: resurrection. Death isn't the final stop — it's more like a sleep between lives. Here, Rossetti's Christian faith subtly comes into play. The word 'meanwhile' is significant; death serves as a waiting room rather than a final destination.

  4. To sleep meanwhile: so not to feel the wane / Of shrunk leaves dropping in the wood,

    Editor's note

    Another catalogue of things the sleeper escapes — but this time the images feel darker: withering autumn leaves, crashing waves, charred bean-fields, and grain cut down to dead stubble. Where the first stanza's list had a bittersweet touch, this one presents a bleaker scene. The world is decaying, and sleep protects you from witnessing it unfold.

  5. Asleep from risk, asleep from pain.

    Editor's note

    The poem ends with two of its simplest and most straightforward words: risk and pain. All the intricate images of seasons, fields, and birds come down to this basic duo. Death-as-sleep shields you from the threats and the hardships of being alive. The repeated phrase 'asleep from' lends a lullaby-like rhythm to the line — calming, conclusive, and intentional.

§04Tone & mood

How this poem feels

The tone is weary and resigned, yet not despairing — there's a quiet conviction throughout. Rossetti isn't crying out in anguish; instead, she's presenting a calm, almost rational argument. The mood suggests someone who has contemplated this deeply and found a sense of peace. There's also a tenderness in the natural imagery that prevents the poem from feeling cold or nihilistic — she observes the wildflowers and the lark even while claiming that ignoring them may be a kindness.

§05Symbols & metaphors

Symbols & metaphors

Sleep
Sleep represents death throughout the poem, particularly reflecting the Christian belief in death as a temporary rest before resurrection. This perspective removes the fear associated with death and reinterprets it as something familiar and even inviting.
The seasons (spring, summer, autumn)
The cycling of seasons highlights the unending passage of time and the certainty of decay. Spring and summer are fleeting—they seem to disappear—while autumn leaves us with charred fields and fallen foliage. The seasons are lovely but draining, and the dead no longer have to witness their transformation.
The accustomed seat
This small, everyday detail — someone else in your usual chair — reflects how life continues on in your absence. It symbolizes the feeling of being erased and replaced, embodying the quiet sorrow of no longer being present in a world that keeps moving forward.
The wheat and stubble
Golden grain turning into dead stubble is a powerful symbol of life's potential fading into despair. This image resonates with biblical harvest themes and supports the poem's message that earthly abundance ultimately leads to loss.
Wild flowers, birds, and the lark
These symbols represent the beauty and joy of life, and Rossetti uses them with intention. By stating that we will *not* feel these things in death, she compels the reader to consider whether the joy of experiencing beauty justifies the accompanying pain.

§06Historical context

Historical context

Christina Rossetti wrote devotional poetry that fits within the Victorian tradition, heavily influenced by her Anglo-Catholic faith and her ongoing battles with illness. She dealt with Graves' disease and later cancer, spending a lot of time as an invalid. For Rossetti, death was not just a concept; it was a constant presence in her life. This poem captures a theme in Victorian religious thought that saw earthly existence as a place of suffering, with death leading to something truly better. Additionally, Rossetti created her work while influenced by her brother Dante Gabriel Rossetti and the Pre-Raphaelite movement, which was preoccupied with beauty, mortality, and the spiritual significance of the natural world. While her poetry is often quieter and more introspective compared to the Pre-Raphaelites' vibrant visual style, she similarly imbues natural imagery with deep symbolic meaning.

§07FAQ

Questions readers ask

Is this poem about wanting to die — is it suicidal?

Not in the modern clinical sense. Rossetti writes from a Victorian Christian perspective, where longing for death signifies a desire for heaven and resurrection rather than self-destruction. The second stanza of the poem clarifies this: death is portrayed as sleep, followed by a return to life. The desire she conveys is for rest and relief, not for annihilation.

What is the poem's structure and does it matter?

The poem consists of two nine-line stanzas that closely resemble each other, both starting with 'Life is not [word]. One day it will be [word].' This mirrored structure serves a purpose: it demonstrates the speaker presenting the same idea twice—first regarding sweetness and then about goodness—methodically reinforcing their argument. The rhyme scheme, while irregular, is persistent, with recurring sounds throughout, giving the poem a circling, almost obsessive quality.

Why does Rossetti list so many beautiful things — flowers, birds, the lark — if she's arguing life is bad?

That tension is the most intriguing aspect of the poem. She isn't claiming that the world is ugly; instead, she's suggesting that encountering beauty brings its own sort of pain, as beauty is temporary and loss inevitably comes after it. The lark and the wildflowers offer genuine joy, but they also serve as reminders that everything fades away. Not experiencing them anymore can feel like a relief rather than a loss.

What does 'our accustomed seat' mean?

It refers to the chair or spot you usually take—whether at a table, in a room, or among friends. The image conveys a quietly heartbreaking truth: after you pass away, someone else will take your place, and life will continue. It symbolizes how swiftly and thoroughly the living world fills the void we leave behind.

How does Rossetti's faith show up in this poem?

It’s most evident in the line 'To die, then live again' from the second stanza. This reflects the Christian idea of resurrection — death isn’t the end, but rather a temporary sleep before a new life begins. Without this belief, the poem would be filled with despair. With it, the desire for death transforms into a hope for something better beyond.

What does 'fleet' mean in line 7?

'Fleet' here refers to something fleeting — it passes quickly, disappearing before you realize it. Rossetti describes spring as fleet and summer as fleet, indicating that both seasons slip away too quickly. This usage is somewhat old-fashioned even for her time, adding a formal, mournful tone to the line.

How does this poem compare to other Rossetti poems about death?

Rossetti frequently revisits the theme of death—her poems Remember and When I am dead, my dearest explore similar ideas. However, Life and Death stands out due to its straightforwardness: she avoids romantic imagery and doesn't speak to a beloved. Instead, she presents a clear, almost rational argument. It's one of her more austere poems.

What is the effect of ending on 'Asleep from risk, asleep from pain'?

After all the vivid nature scenes—fields, birds, seasons, grain—the poem distills to two stark abstract nouns: risk and pain. This choice feels intentional, and it resonates. The lullaby-like rhythm of the repeated phrase 'asleep from' creates an image of closing eyes. It’s the most peaceful moment in a poem that has been advocating for rest throughout.

Citation

Cite this poem

MLA

Rossetti, Christina. "Life and Death." Storgy, https://storgy.com/poems/life-and-death-christina-rossetti/.

APA

Rossetti, C. (n.d.). Life and death. Storgy. https://storgy.com/poems/life-and-death-christina-rossetti/

TeacherAP Lit Q1 scaffold — preview

Row A — Thesis

1 pt

In Christina Rossetti's 'Life and Death,' the speaker's embrace of death is not a simple death wish but a carefully constructed argument that oblivion offers refuge from a world whose beauty has become an unbearable reminder of loss. …

  • Row B — Evidence + Commentary4 pts
  • Row C — Sophistication1 pt
  • Common student errors
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