Throw Roses

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.