Ode to the Rose

Thou sweet and fragrant child of spring,
How fair thou art in every part!
Thy petals, like a fairy's wing,
Enfold the treasures of thy heart.

Thy breath, like incense, fills the air
With spicy odours, rich and rare;
Thy colours, like the rainbow, blend
In harmony that knows no end.

Thou art the emblem of all things
That love and beauty can inspire;
The poet's muse, the lover's fire,
The crown of nature's offerings.

But ah! how soon thy bloom must fade,
And all thy charms be laid to waste!
The cruel hand of time will shade
Thy glory with a withering blast.

Yet fear not, thou ephemeral flower,
Thy spirit lives in every hour;
Thy memory, like a lasting rose,
In every faithful bosom glows.