Poems (Sharpless)/A Little Red Rose

by Frances M. Sharpless

A LITTLE RED ROSE

Didst thou dream, thou little red rose,
 When the sun kissed thy leaves apart,
What a blessed joy, ere thy life should close,
 Thou wouldst give to a human heart?

Not only because thou'rt the fairest
 Of all on the blooming tree;
But because that the hand of my dearest
 Has gathered thee only for me.

Sweet has thy life been, fair blossom,
 And happy shall be thy death,
For I'll rock thee to sleep in my bosom,
 And bless thee with every breath.

And though scentless and faded, more precious
 Than roses in bloom shalt thou be;
For one whom I love, with a tender thought
 Plucked this little red rose for me.