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42
General William Booth
WITH A BOUQUET OF TWELVE ROSES
I SAW Lord Buddah towering by my gate
Saying: "Once more, good youth, I stand and wait."
Saying: "I bring you my fair Law of Peace
And from your withering passion full release;
Release from that white hand that stabbed you so.
The road is calling. With the winds you go,
Forgetting her imperious disdain—
Quenching all memory in the sun and rain."
"Excellent Lord, I come. But first," I said,
"Grand that I bring her these twelve roses red.
Yea, twelve flower kisses for her rose-leaf mouth,
And then indeed I go in bitter drouth
To that far valley where your river flows
In Peace, that once I found in every rose."
