How the White Rose Came
The poem tells the story of a young woman who is forced to marry an old and cruel man by her father. On the eve of her wedding, she meets a handsome stranger who falls in love with her. The stranger gives her a white rose, symbolizing his love for her. The woman is torn between her duty to marry the old man and her desire to be with the stranger. In the end, she chooses to follow her heart and runs away with the stranger, leaving behind her father's wealth and social status.
By Ella Wheeler Wilcox · First published 1891 · Genre: Poetry, Romance, Fable · 221 words
First lines
The roses all were pink and red, Before the Bumble Bee, A lover bold, with cloak of gold, Came singing merrily Along the sunlit ways that led From woodland, and from lea.
He paused beside an opening rose, The garden's pet and pride; She burst in flower that very hour, While wooing zephyrs sighed; No smile had she for one of those, And hope within them died.
The ardent butterfly in vain On radiant wings drew near; The hapless moth in vain grew wroth- The fair rose leaned to hear The deep-voiced stranger's low refrain That thrilled upon her ear.
What this Textopian page supports
How the White Rose Came is listed on Textopian as a poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, dated 1891 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Date: 1891 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Poetry, Romance, Fable, Fantasy, Nature
- Length: 221 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for How the White Rose Came by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering How the White Rose Came?
- How does this poem by Ella Wheeler Wilcox fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Poetry first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Frost Spirit by John Greenleaf Whittier
- A Marine Etching by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- A Marine Etching by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- The Broken Dike by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Summers Farewell by Ella Wheeler Wilcox
- Orpheus by Edith Wharton
Genres
- Poetry — The text is written in verse with a rhythmic and rhyming structure.
- Romance — The central theme revolves around love and the emotional journey of the rose.
- Fable — The narrative uses personification and conveys a moral lesson through the story of the rose and the bee.
- Fantasy — The story involves elements of fantasy, such as talking flowers and insects.
Tags
Poetry · American Literature · Historical Fiction · War · Resistance · Freedom · Patriotism · Courage · Sacrifice · Youth · Idealism · Romance