Perfection

Roderic Quinn 1867 (Surry Hills, New South Wales) – 1949 (Darlinghurst, New South Wales)



THIS rose, to which each dawn anew
Come bees to fill their honey-sacks,
Though sweet in shape, and scent, and hue,
Perfection lacks.
To gain it were to crown one's toil
And set the very world astir:
Blow, Rose, make most of sap and soil,
Strive, Gardener!
Though Youth may dwell some honeyed years
In Arcady, most true is this —
There is no joy unmixed with tears,
No perfect bliss.
Though Love, on high adventure set,
Complete achievement may not know —
Reach out your white arms, Juliet!
Climb, Romeo!

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

28 sec read
57

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABABCDCDEFGFHIHI
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 500
Words 93
Stanzas 1
Stanza Lengths 16

Roderic Quinn

Roderic Joseph Quinn was an Australian poet. more…

All Roderic Quinn poems | Roderic Quinn Books

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