Roses by Joyce Kilmer (1913)
The poem describes a rose as a symbol of love and beauty, comparing it to the speaker's beloved. The rose is personified, with its petals described as delicate and its scent as intoxicating. The speaker expresses their desire to possess the rose, but acknowledges that it is fleeting and ephemeral.
By Joyce Kilmer · First published 1913 · Genre: Religious Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry · 256 words
First lines
(For Katherine Brègy)
I went to gather roses and twine them in a ring, For I would make a posy, a posy for the King. I got an hundred roses, the loveliest there be, From the white rose vine and the pink rose bush and from the red rose tree.
But when I took my posy and laid it at His feet I found He had His roses a million times more sweet. There was a scarlet blossom upon each foot and hand, And a great pink rose bloomed from His side for the healing of the land.
Now of this fair and awful King there is this marvel told, That He wears a crown of linkèd thorns instead of one of gold. Where there are thorns are roses, and I saw a line of red, A little wreath of roses around His radiant head.
What this Textopian page supports
Roses is listed on Textopian as a poem by Joyce Kilmer, dated 1913 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Joyce Kilmer
- Date: 1913 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Religious Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Nature Poetry, Symbolism, Christian Literature
- Length: 256 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Roses by Joyce Kilmer
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Religious Poetry — The poem explores themes of divinity, sacrifice, and spiritual beauty, reflecting a deep connection to religious imagery.
- Lyric Poetry — The work expresses personal emotions and thoughts through vivid imagery and musical language, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Nature Poetry — The poem uses floral imagery to convey deeper meanings, emphasizing the beauty of nature and its connection to spirituality.
- Symbolism — The roses and thorns serve as symbols for complex themes such as love, sacrifice, and redemption.
Tags
Poetry · Nature · Romance · Love · Beauty · Symbolism · Imagery · Metaphor · Personification · Flowers · Gardening · Seasonal