Last rose of summer....

Knowing that today the wind would whip her about, and tonight the cold temperatures might fade her lovely petals, I plucked the last rose of summer. She'll hold a place of honor in the center of the table on my old crocheted doily. Lovely isn't she?



'Tis the last rose of summer

Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone;
No flower of her kindred,
No rosebud is nigh,
To reflect back her blushes,
To give sigh for sigh.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone one!
To pine on the stem;
Since the lovely are sleeping,
Go, sleep thou with them.
Thus kindly I scatter,
Thy leaves o'er the bed,
Where thy mates of the garden
Lie scentless and dead.

So soon may I follow,
When friendships decay,
From Love's shining circle
The gems drop away.
When true hearts lie withered
And fond ones are flown,
Oh! who would inhabit,
This bleak world alone?

~Irish poet, Thomas Moore

If you enjoyed the poem, you'll love it set to music by Celtic Woman.