by Christina Georgina Rossetti (1830 - 1894)

O roses for the flush of youth
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Language: English 
O roses for the flush of youth, 
  And laurel for the perfect prime; 
But pluck an ivy branch for me 
  Grown old before my time. 

O violets for the grave of youth, 
  And bay for those dead in their prime; 
Give me the withered leaves I chose 
  Before in the old time.

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Note: first published under the pseudonym of Ellen Alleyn.

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Research team for this page: Emily Ezust [Administrator] , Joost van der Linden [Guest Editor]

This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 8
Word count: 53