Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

"The Flower Of Beauty" is a poem by George Darley that explores themes of longing, unrequited love, and natural beauty. The speaker uses vivid natural imagery to express the depth of his emotions and longing for the one he loves.

In the first stanza, the speaker describes a beautiful woman (the "flower of beauty") sleeping peacefully in a green valley. He laments that she's unaware of his sorrow and the melancholy music he plays on his lute in solitude.

The second stanza brings forth the image of a rivulet flowing down from high cliffs to wind around the banks of a willow tree. The speaker wishes he too could escape his "rocky prison" and glide down to the woman he loves, expressing this desire in the metaphor of a stream winding its way to its desired place.

The third stanza portrays the woman listening to his distant song, comparing her to a dove who listens to the call of her lost mate. This metaphor heightens the sense of separation and longing the speaker feels.

In the final stanza, the speaker calls to his bird, possibly a metaphor for his love, and describes it as the messenger of comfort and peace. Despite this, he describes his heart as bleeding from a wound of love for her, showing the depth of his unrequited love and longing.

Overall, the poem is filled with rich natural imagery and emotive language, showcasing the intensity of the speaker's love and his longing for the woman he refers to as the "flower of beauty".