The Rose
The Rose - meaning Summary
Mourning a Withered Rose
The poem addresses companions as it mourns a beloved rose that has faded. The rose is called the "Dawn-child of Day," linking it to youth and transient beauty. The speaker rejects a fatalistic maxim about life’s fleetness and chooses instead to lament and bid the rose farewell. The closing turn invites companionship in moving on to a new, purer symbol, the lily-bell, suggesting consolation through collective remembrance and renewal.
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