Th red rose whispers of passion,
And the white rose breathes of love;
Oh, the red rose is a falcon,
And the white rose is a dove.
But I send you a cream-white rose bud
With a flush on its petal tips;
For the love that is purest and sweetest
Has a kiss of desire on the lips
- John Boyle O’Reilly
* Celtic Poet *
John Boyle O’Reilly was a poet and novelist born in Ireland in 1844. A strong Irish patriot, he was an advocate and spokesman for Irish culture. He lived a fascinating life until his death in 1890.
“A White Rose” is reprinted from The Little Book of American Poets: 1787-1900. Ed. Jessie B. Rittenhouse. Cambridge: Riverside Press,
1915.
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