The poem is a lamentation of the passing of time and the fleeting nature of life. It describes the beauty of winter roses that bloom briefly before fading away, symbolizing the transience of human existence. The speaker reflects on the inevitability of death and the impermanence of all things, including love and youth.
By John Greenleaf Whittier · First published 1850 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry, Romanticism