Christina Rossetti

Remember

REMEMBER me when I am gone away, Gone far away into the silent land; When you can no more hold me by the hand, Nor I half turn to go, yet turning stay. Remember me when no more day by day You tell me of our future that you plann'd: Only remember me; you understand It will be late to counsel then or pray. Yet if you should forget me for a while And afterwards remember, do not grieve: For if the darkness and corruption leave A vestige of the thoughts that once I had, Better by far you should forget and smile Than that you should remember and be sad.

FORM: Plain shape. Simple form, simple statement. Like loving remembering words on headstone.

STRUCTURE: Alternate rhyme scheme

LANGUAGE: loving, tender, peaceful 'silent', 'smile', 'hold by hand', future that you plann'd' and 'turning stay' shows reluctance to leave.

remember when she is 'gone' - euphamism of death?

CONTRAST: between Thomas Hardy's 'Your Last Drive' - 'You may miss me then. But I shall not know how many times you visit me there.' , 'I shall not care'- Emma wants Hardy to feel guilty- contrast to how Rossetti wants her reader to feel NOT guilty: 'Yet if you forget me for a while and afterwards remember me, do not grieve.'