The Flower of the Desert

Felicia Dorothea Hemans 1793 (Liverpool, Lancashire) – 1835 (Dublin, County Dublin)



"Who does not recollect the exultation of Vaillant over a flower in the torrid wastes of Africa?—The affecting mention of the influence of a flower upon his mind, by Mungo Park, in a time of suffering and despondency, in the heart of the same savage country, is familiar to every one."—Howitt's Book of the Seasons.

Why art thou thus in thy beauty cast,
    O lonely, loneliest flower!
Where the sound of song hath never pass'd,
    From human hearth or bower?

I pity thee, for thy heart of love,
    For thy glowing heart, that fain
Would breathe out joy with each wind to rove—
    In vain, lost thing! in vain!

I pity thee for thy wasted bloom,
    For thy glory's fleeting hour,
For the desert place, thy living tomb—
    O lonely, loneliest flower!

I said,—but a low voice made reply:
    "Lament not for the flower!
Though its blossom all unmark'd must die,
    They have had a glorious dower

"Though it bloom afar from the minstrel's way
    And the paths where lovers tread,
Yet strength and hope, like an inborn day,
    By its odours have been shed.

"Yes! dews more sweet than ever fell
    O'er island of the blest,
Were shaken forth, from its perfumed bell,
    On a suffering human breast.

"A wanderer came, as a stricken deer,
    O'er the waste of burning sand,
He bore the wound of an Arab spear,
    He fled from a ruthless band.

"And dreams of home, in a troubled tide,
    Swept o'er his darkening eye,
As he lay down by the fountain side,
    In his mute despair to die.

"But his glance was caught by the desert's flower,
    The precious boon of heaven!
And sudden hope, like a vernal shower,
    To his fainting heart was given.

"For the bright flower spoke of One above;
    Of the Presence, felt to brood,
With a spirit of pervading love,
    O'er the wildest solitude.

"Oh! the seed was thrown these wastes among,
    In a blest and gracious hour!
For the lorn one rose, in heart made strong,
    By the lonely, loneliest flower!"
Font size:
Collection  PDF     
 

Submitted by Madeleine Quinn on December 27, 2019

Modified by Madeleine Quinn on December 29, 2019

1:49 min read
50

Quick analysis:

Scheme x aBab cdxd ebeB fbfx ghgh ijij klkl mfmf bnbn coco xbxb
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 2,017
Words 356
Stanzas 12
Stanza Lengths 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Felicia Dorothea Hemans

Felicia Dorothea Hemans was an English poet. Two of her opening lines, "The boy stood on the burning deck" and "The stately homes of England", have acquired classic status. more…

All Felicia Dorothea Hemans poems | Felicia Dorothea Hemans Books

1 fan

Discuss the poem "The Flower of the Desert" with the community...

0 Comments

    Translation

    Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

    Select another language:

    • - Select -
    • 简体中文 (Chinese - Simplified)
    • 繁體中文 (Chinese - Traditional)
    • Español (Spanish)
    • Esperanto (Esperanto)
    • 日本語 (Japanese)
    • Português (Portuguese)
    • Deutsch (German)
    • العربية (Arabic)
    • Français (French)
    • Русский (Russian)
    • ಕನ್ನಡ (Kannada)
    • 한국어 (Korean)
    • עברית (Hebrew)
    • Gaeilge (Irish)
    • Українська (Ukrainian)
    • اردو (Urdu)
    • Magyar (Hungarian)
    • मानक हिन्दी (Hindi)
    • Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Italiano (Italian)
    • தமிழ் (Tamil)
    • Türkçe (Turkish)
    • తెలుగు (Telugu)
    • ภาษาไทย (Thai)
    • Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)
    • Čeština (Czech)
    • Polski (Polish)
    • Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)
    • Românește (Romanian)
    • Nederlands (Dutch)
    • Ελληνικά (Greek)
    • Latinum (Latin)
    • Svenska (Swedish)
    • Dansk (Danish)
    • Suomi (Finnish)
    • فارسی (Persian)
    • ייִדיש (Yiddish)
    • հայերեն (Armenian)
    • Norsk (Norwegian)
    • English (English)

    Citation

    Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

    Style:MLAChicagoAPA

    "The Flower of the Desert" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 19 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/52077/the-flower-of-the-desert>.

    Become a member!

    Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

    March 2024

    Poetry Contest

    Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.
    12
    days
    19
    hours
    27
    minutes

    Browse Poetry.com

    Quiz

    Are you a poetry master?

    »
    What are the first eight lines of a sonnet called?
    A octopus
    B octane
    C octave
    D octet