Women And Roses

By Robert Browning

Lyric Poem
I.     I dream of a red-rose tree.     And which of its roses three     Is the dearest rose to me? II.     Round and round, like a dance of snow     In a dazzling drift, as its guardians, go     Floating the women faded for ages,     Sculptured in stone, on the poets pages.     Then follow women fresh and gay,     Living and loving and loved to-day.     Last, in the rear, flee the multitude of maidens,     Beauties yet unborn. And all, to one cadence,     They circle their rose on my rose tree. III.     Dear rose, thy term is reached,     Thy leaf hangs loose and bleached:     Bees pass it unimpeached. IV.     Stay then, stoop, since I cannot climb,     You, great shapes of the antique time!     How shall I fix you, fire you, freeze you,     Break my heart at your feet to please you?     Oh, to possess and be possessed!     Hearts that beat neath each pallid breast!     Once but of love, the poesy, the passion,     Drink but once and die! In vain, the same fashion,     They circle their rose on my rose tree. V.     Dear rose, thy joys undimmed,     Thy cup is ruby-rimmed,     Thy cups heart nectar-brimmed. VI.     Deep, as drops from a statues plinth     The bee sucked in by the hyacinth,     So will I bury me while burning,     Quench like him at a plunge my yearning,     Eyes in your eyes, lips on your lips!     Fold me fast where the cincture slips,     Prison all my soul in eternities of pleasure,     Girdle me for once! But no the old measure,     They circle their rose on my rose tree. VII.     Dear rose without a thorn,     Thy buds the babe unborn:     First streak of a new morn. VIII.     Wings, lend wings for the cold, the clear!     What is far conquers what is near.     Roses will bloom nor want beholders,     Sprung from the dust where our flesh moulders.     What shall arrive with the cycles change?     A novel grace and a beauty strange.     I will make an Eve, be the artist that began her,     Shaped her to his mind! Alas! in like manner     They circle their rose on my rose tree.

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain
Analysis & Notes:
This poem is a profound exploration of time, beauty, and the agonies of artistic creation. It uses the central metaphor of a rose tree to explore these themes, with each rose representing different aspects of life, art, and beauty. The first rose seems to symbolize the past, the second represents the present, and the third anticipates the future.

The poet's tone oscillates between admiration, longing, and frustration, revealing an intense struggle to grasp and immortalize the fleeting beauty of life in art. This struggle is reflected in the structure of the poem, which adopts a circular pattern, mirroring the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Key literary devices used include personification (the roses and the tree), simile (comparison of women to snow and bees to the poet), and repetition ("They circle their rose on my rose tree"), which reinforces the cyclical nature of time and the poet's recurring frustration.

The poem also uses vivid sensory imagery, especially visual and tactile, to bring the roses—and by extension, the women, the beauty they represent, and the emotions they evoke—to life. The sharp contrast between the vitality of the roses and the pallor of the stone sculptures underscores the tension between life and art, spontaneity and permanence, passion and contemplation. Overall, the poem is a poignant meditation on the artist's desire to capture and preserve beauty and the inherent limitations and challenges of this endeavor.

Exploring Lyric Poetry

Lyric poetry is a powerful and intimate form of expression, characterized by its focus on the personal emotions and thoughts of the poet. Often musical in nature, lyric poems resonate with readers through their vivid language and rhythmic flow, capturing moments of intense feeling.

Here are some key characteristics that define lyric poetry:

  • Expressive Language: Lyric poems use rich and evocative language to convey deep emotions, often painting a vivid picture of the poet's inner world.
  • Personal Perspective: Typically written in the first person, these poems offer a window into the poet's personal experiences, thoughts, and reflections.
  • Musicality: Lyric poems often feature a rhythmic structure, with meter and rhyme that give them a song-like quality, enhancing the emotional impact.

From ancient odes to contemporary free verse, lyric poetry remains a beloved and enduring form, celebrated for its ability to articulate the nuances of human emotion in a way that resonates deeply with readers.