Poems (Hale)/The Thornless Rose
THE THORNLESS ROSE.
Hannah! the flower thy hand bestows, A treasured gift shall be;And may the sweetly perfumed rose Be a meet type of thee.
Thine, Hannah, was a thornless flower,— A gift, as sweet as rare.O! may thy life's untroubled bower But thornless roses bear.
On that fair brow, so free from gloom, Untouched by sorrow's blight,May Innocence unsullied bloom, In hues of living light.
Let Nature's blush to thy young cheek, Its radiant tints impart,And truth's most holy fount bespeak Deep treasured in thy heart.
Fresh as that leaflet's hue of green, O! may thy young hopes be;Nor cloud obstruct the light serene Of holy memory.
Like the sweet breathing perfume shed Around the faded rose, Virtue, when life's bright hues are fled, Its fragrant breath bestows.
Thus, Hannah, let thy virtues give Their fragrance rich and free;Thy name a cherished treasure live, Enshrined in memory.