Letter to Mrs. Gabriele Rossetti, 18 August 1871 DGR 1 Princeton University Library, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections Letter to Mrs. Gabriele Rossetti, 18 August 1871 DGR 1871 August 18 DGR DGR Princeton University Library The letter is in the Troxell papers. 22.4 x 18 cm Commentary
Introduction

This is a fair copy of the poem “Sunset Wings” that DGR had written about some days earlier.

Textual History: Composition

Textual History: Revision

Production History

Reception History

Iconographic

Printing History

Pictorial

Historical

Literary

Translation

Autobiographical

Bibliographic

Sunset Wings Tonight this sunset spreads two golden wings Cleaving the Western sky; Winged too with wind it is, and winnowings Of birds; as if the day's last hour in rings Of strenuous flight must die. Sun-steeped in fire, the homeward pinions sway Above the dovecote-tops; And clouds of starlings, ere they rest with day, Sink, clamorous like mill-waters, at wild play, By turns in every copse. Each tree heart-deep the wrangling rout receives— Save for the whirr within, You could not tell the starlings from the leaves; Then one great puff of wings, and the swarm heaves Away with all its din. Even thus Hope's hours, in ever-eddying flight, To many a refuge tend; With the first light she laughed, and the last light Glows round her still; who natheless in the night At length must make an end. And now the mustering rooks innumerable Together sail and soar, While for the day's death, like a tolling knell, Unto the heart they seem to cry, Farewell, No more, farewell, no more! Is Hope not plumed, as 'twere a fiery dart? Therefore, O dying day, Even as thou goest must she too depart, And Sorrow fold such pinions on the heart, As will not fly away?