Twice
Christina Rossetti
1830 to 1894
Drag the words to the correct places to complete the poem. To reset the game, click on the "Reset Game" button located below the poem. This will clear all the words you've placed in the blanks, returning them to the word bank and resetting the poem to its original state with empty blanks.
I took my heart in my hand
(O my love, O my love),
I said: Let me fall or stand,
Let me live or die,
But this once hear ______ speak
(O my love, O my love);
Yet a woman's words are weak:
You should speak, not I.
You ______ my heart in your hand
With a friendly smile,
______ a critical eye you scanned,
Then set it down,
______ said: It is still unripe,
Better wait awhile;
Wait ______ the skylarks pipe,
Till the corn grows brown.
As ______ set it down it broke,--
Broke, but I ______ not wince;
I smiled at the speech you spoke,
______ your judgment that I heard:
But I have not ______ smiled
Since then, nor questioned since,
Nor cared for corn-flowers wild,
Nor sung with the singing bird.
I take ______ heart in my hand,
O my God, O my God,
My broken heart in my hand:
Thou hast seen, ______ Thou.
My hope was written on sand,
O my God, O my God;
Now let Thy judgment stand,--
Yea, judge me now.
This contemned of a man,
This ______ one heedless day,
This heart take Thou to scan
______ within and without:
Refine with fire its gold,
Purge ______ its dross away,--
Yea, hold it in Thy hold,
Whence none can pluck it out.
I take my ______ in my hand,--
I shall not die, but live,--
Before Thy face I stand;
I, for Thou ______ such:
All that I have I bring,
All that ______ am I give,
Smile Thou and I shall sing,
______ shall not question much.