Throw Roses
THROW roses on the sea where the dead went down. The roses speak to the sea, And the sea to the dead. Throw roses, O lovers- Let the leaves wash on the salt in the sun.
death
memory
free verse
melancholic
Throw Roses - context Summary
A Brief Memorial Invocation
Written as a memorial, Carl Sandburg’s "Throw Roses" functions as a brief ritual gesture for the dead. The poem addresses mourners directly, instructing them to cast roses into the sea so that the flowers serve as a spoken offering between living, water, and the departed. Its spare lines compress mourning into a single ceremonial act that links tactile tribute, natural elements, and communal remembrance.
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