Weary In Well-Doing

By Christina Georgina Rossetti

Sonnet
    I would have gone; God bade me stay:         I would have worked; God bade me rest.     He broke my will from day to day,         He read my yearnings unexpressed         And said them nay.     Now I would stay; God bids me go:         Now I would rest; God bids me work.     He breaks my heart tossed to and fro,         My soul is wrung with doubts that lurk         And vex it so.     I go, Lord, where Thou sendest me;         Day after day I plod and moil:     But, Christ my God, when will it be         That I may let alone my toil         And rest with Thee?

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
The poem enacts a spiritual struggle between human desire and divine will, structured as a terse, three-stanza plea that mirrors the tension between motion and stasis. Its compact form fifteen lines of iambic trimeter and pentameter, with a consistent ABA rhyme scheme creates a rhythmic cadence that underscores the speaker’s emotional turmoil. The first stanza establishes a lament of frustrated agency, where the speaker’s will is repeatedly thwarted by God’s commands to stay and rest. The volta occurs in the second stanza, as the speaker’s desires invert: now they wish to stay and work, yet God demands the opposite. The imagery of a broken heart and a soul wrung with doubts heightens the poem’s pathos, while the alliteration in tossed to and fro and vex it so sharpens the sense of inner conflict. The final stanza resolves into submissive obedience, yet the speaker’s weariness lingers in the plodding meter of Day after day I plod and moil. The poem’s closing question yearning for rest in God reveals a paradox: submission is both surrender and an unanswered longing.

Understanding the Sonnet

The sonnet is one of the most enduring and celebrated forms of poetry, known for its strict structure and profound themes. With a history spanning centuries, sonnets have been used to explore love, beauty, politics, and mortality, all within the confines of just 14 lines.

Sonnets are characterized by their precise form and rhyme scheme, which vary depending on the type of sonnet. Here’s a closer look:

  • Shakespearean (English) Sonnet: Composed of three quatrains followed by a final couplet, with a rhyme scheme of ABABCDCDEFEFGG. This form often builds a complex argument or narrative, culminating in a powerful closing statement.
  • Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet: Divided into an octave (eight lines) and a sestet (six lines), with a typical rhyme scheme of ABBAABBA for the octave, followed by various patterns in the sestet such as CDECDE or CDCDCD. The octave usually presents a problem, with the sestet providing a resolution.
  • Meter: Sonnets are traditionally written in iambic pentameter, which gives the poem a rhythmic and melodic quality that enhances its emotional impact.

The sonnet’s enduring appeal lies in its ability to condense complex emotions and ideas into a small but potent package, making it a favorite form for poets seeking to explore profound themes with precision and elegance.