Christina Rossetti was born in London in 1830; her father was a poet, Gabriele Rossetti, who had escaped political persecution in Italy. Her mother was Frances Polidori – you might recognise the name, sh was the sister of Dr John Polidori who published the first vampire story, The Vampyre in 1819. Christina’s brother, Dante Gabriel was an important artist and poet, and her other brother, William and sister Maria were also writers.
Here is her poem reflecting on autumn:
An October Garden
In my Autumn garden I was fain
To mourn among my scattered roses;
Alas for that last rosebud which uncloses
To Autumn’s languid sun and rain
When all the world is on the wane!
Which has not felt the sweet constraint of June,
Nor heard the nightingale in tune.
Broad-faced asters by my garden walk,
You are but coarse compared with roses:
More choice, more dear that rosebud which uncloses
Faint-scented, pinched, upon its stalk,
That least and last which cold winds balk;
A rose it is though least and last of all,
A rose to me though at the fall.
Lois Elsden 