Roses, a Memory of Alexandra Day by Harry Graham

Name: Roses, a Memory of Alexandra Day
Author: Harry Graham

The poem describes the fleeting nature of life and beauty, using the rose as a metaphor for the transience of human experience. The speaker reflects on how roses are often associated with love and passion, but ultimately wither and die, leaving behind only memories. This theme is echoed in the phrase "a memory of Alexandra Day", suggesting that even the most cherished moments are subject to the passage of time.

By Harry Graham · First published 1926 · Genre: Poetry, Satire, Social Commentary · 245 words

First lines

(_With apologies to Wordsworth_)

I wandered shyly as a ghost / That prowls in haunted keeps and tow'rs, / When all at once I saw a host, / A crowd of ladies selling flow'rs; / Along the Mall, beside the Pond, / From Lady Cr-we to Lady M-nd!

Continuous as the stars that shine, / Like poppies in a field of wheat, / They stretched in never-ending line / Along the kerb of ev'ry street; / Ten thousand saw I, file by file, / Selling their 'blooms' with sprightly smile.

The world about them smiled, for they / Bedecked the dingy thoroughfares; / A fellow could not fail to pay / His penny for such wares as theirs. / I bought and bought -- but little guessed / What wealth those simple flowers expressed.

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Roses, a Memory of Alexandra Day is listed on Textopian as a poem by Harry Graham, dated 1926 CE.

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Work type: Poem
Author: Harry Graham
Date: 1926 CE
Language: English
Genres: Poetry, Satire, Social Commentary, Parody, Historical
Length: 245 words
Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)

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Genres

Poetry — The work is structured in verse form, with rhyme and meter, characteristic of poetry.
Satire — The poem uses humor and irony, particularly in its playful apology to Wordsworth, to critique or comment on social practices.
Social Commentary — The poem reflects on societal behaviors and charitable activities, particularly the fundraising for hospitals.
Parody — The poem mimics the style of Wordsworth's 'I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud,' creating a humorous imitation.