W. Garrett Horder, comp. The Poets’ Bible: New Testament. 1895.

For the Holy Family

Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–1882)

TURN not the prophet’s page, O Son! He knew

All that thou hast to suffer, and hath writ.

Not yet thine hour of knowledge. Infinite

The sorrows that thy manhood’s lot must rue,

And dire acquaintance of thy grief. That clue

The spirits of thy mournful ministerings

Seek through yon scroll in silence. For these things

The angels have desired to look into.

Still before Eden waves the fiery sword,—

Her Tree of Life unransomed: whose sad Tree

Of Knowledge yet to growth of Calvary

Must yield its Tempter,—Hell the earliest dead

Of Earth resign,—and yet, O Son and Lord,

The seed o’ the woman bruise the serpent’s head.