The Rose of Peace
The Rose of Peace - meaning Summary
Peace Reconciles Heaven and Hell
The poem imagines the archangel Michael abandoning his role as heavenly warrior to honor a beloved figure, symbolized as a rose. His gesture—placing a star-woven chaplet on her—causes celestial beings to praise her and leads God to call off the cosmic conflict. The closing image is a gentle reconciliation between Heaven and Hell, suggesting love or beauty can end hostility and bring universal peace.
Read Complete AnalysesIf Michael, leader of God's host When Heaven and Hell are met, Looked down on you from Heaven's door-post He would his deeds forget. Brooding no more upon God's wars In his divine homestead, He would go weave out of the stars A chaplet for your head. And all folk seeing him bow down, And white stars tell your praise, Would come at last to God's great town, Led on by gentle ways; And God would bid His warfare cease, Saying all things were well; And softly make a rosy peace, A peace of Heaven with Hell.
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