A ROYAL rose! A rose how darkly red!
A proud, voluptuous, full blown flower, that sways
Her sceptre o’er the wind-swept garden-ways,
With mantling cheek and bold, imperious head!
Alone she lifts above yon desolate bed
A beauty past all terms of raptured praise,
The statelier that she rules in autumn days,
When every rival flower is dimmed or dead!
A haughty Cleopatra! there she smiles,
Unwitting that her sovereign love is lost–
Her Antony! a gorgeous sunflower bloom!
Ah! vain henceforth her beauty and sweet wiles!
Queen! art then blind? Thy lord hath met his doom;
His Actium came with winter’s vanguard–Frost!
(Paul Hamilton Hayne)
More Poetry from Paul Hamilton Hayne:
Paul Hamilton Hayne Poems based on Topics: Love, Smiling, Beauty, Flowers, Kings & Queens, Art, Autumn, Praise- Antonio Melidori (Paul Hamilton Hayne Poems)
- Daphles. An Argive Story (Paul Hamilton Hayne Poems)
- The Mountain Of The Lovers (Paul Hamilton Hayne Poems)
- Songs Of The Imprisoned Naiad (Paul Hamilton Hayne Poems)
- Widderin's Race. Australian. (Paul Hamilton Hayne Poems)
- Ode II (Paul Hamilton Hayne Poems)
Readers Who Like This Poem Also Like:
Based on Topics: Love Poems, Flowers Poems, Kings & Queens Poems, Beauty Poems, Smiling Poems, Art Poems, Praise Poems, Autumn PoemsBased on Keywords: antony, actium, garden-ways