Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, LITANIES OF THE ROSE, by REMY DE GOURMONT


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

LITANIES OF THE ROSE, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Hypocrite flower / flower of silence
Last Line: Flower of silence.
Subject(s): Flowers; Hypocrisy; Roses


Hypocrite flower,
Flower of silence.
Rose of copper, more fraudulent than our joys, rose of copper, embalm us in
your lies, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the painted face like a light o' love, rose of the prostitute
heart, rose of the painted face, wear but the semblance of pity, hypocrite
flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the childlike cheek, O virgin of future betrayals, rose of the
childlike cheek, innocent and rosy, open the snare of your eyes, hypocrite
flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the black eyes, mirror of your void, rose of the black eyes, give
us faith in the mystery, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of pure gold, coffer of the ideal, rose of pure gold, yield us the key
to your womb, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of silver, censer of our dreams, rose of silver, take our heart and
make of it fume-drift, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the sapphic regard, paler than the lily, rose of the sapphic
regard, offer us the fragrance of your false virginity, hypocrite flower, flower
of silence.
Rose of the purple forehead, wrath of a woman disdained, rose of the purple
forehead, whisper us the secret of your pride, hypocrite flower, flower of
silence.
Rose of the ivory brow, self-enamoured, rose of the ivory brow, whisper us
the secret of your virginal nights, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the lips of blood, devourer of flesh, rose of the lips of blood, if
you seek our blood, what shall we do—drink of it, hypocrite flower, flower
of silence!
Rose of sulphur, hell of our vain desires, rose of sulphur, kindle the pyre
where you soar, soul and fire, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose colored peach, fruit velvet with fard, artful rose, rose colored
peach, poison our teeth, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the flesh, goddess of good will, rose of the flesh, lead us to kiss
the sadness of your fresh, insipid flesh, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose tanged with wine, flower of arbors and vaults, rose tanged with wine,
mad alcohols romp in your breath: breathe over us the horror of love, hypocrite
flower, flower of silence.
Rose violet colored, modesty of untoward maids, rose violet colored, your
eyes are larger than the rest, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose rose, virgin of the troubled heart, rose rose, muslin gown, open your
false wings, angel, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of tissue-paper, adorable simulacrum of uncreate grace, rose of
tissue-paper, are you not the true rose, hypocrite flower, flower of silence!
Rose dawn-colored, weather-colored, color of naught, O smile of the Sphinx,
rose dawn-colored, smile open over the void; we shall love you, for you lie,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose blonde, slight cloak of chrome upon frail shoulders, O rose blonde,
female more potent than the male, hypocrite flower, flower of silence!
Rose mammiform, red rose where teeth bite when the mouth comes to drink,
rose mammiform, our bites make you smile and our kisses, weep, hypocrite flower,
flower of silence.
Rose of pure white, innocent and colored like milk, rose of pure white,
such candor affrights us, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of bronze, dough baked in the sun, rose of bronze, the toughest of
javelins blunts on your hide, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of fire, crucible decreed for refractory flesh, rose of fire, O
providence of crusaders in childhood, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose incarnate, rose sturdy and stolid, rose incarnate, you give us to
drink, you ensnare us with wine over-red and benign, hypocrite flower, flower of
silence.
Rose of satin cerise, exquisite munificence of triumphal lips, rose of
satin cerise, your deep-painted mouth has pressed on our flesh the purple seal
of its mirage, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the virgin heart, O dim and rosy adolescence that has not spoken
forth, rose of the virgin heart, there is naught you have to say, hypocrite
flower, flower of silence.
Rose currant-colored, shame and the blush of absurd misdoings, rose
currant-colored, they've rumpled your dress too much, hypocrite flower, flower
of silence.
Rose of the evening, half-dead of ennui, crepuscular smoke-drift, rose of
the evening, you are dying of love while you kiss your languid hands, hypocrite
flower, flower of silence.
Rose of blue, rose iridine, monstrous color of the Chimæra's eyes,
rose of blue, lift up your eyelids: are you afraid lest we look upon you, eye
into eye, Chimæra, hypocrite flower, flower of silence!
Rose of green, rose colored of the sea, O nombril of the sirens, rose of
green, fabulous undulant jewel, you are no more than water when a finger has
touched you, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose carbuncle, rose flowered of the dragon's brow, rose carbuncle, you are
only a girdle-clasp, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of vermilion, enamored shepherdess lying in the furrows, rose of
vermilion, the shepherd breathes you in and the goat has browsed upon you,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the tombs, freshness sprung from decaying corpse, rose of the
tombs, tiny and rose, adorable fragrance of sifting dust, you seem to have life,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of the dusk, of dark mahogany, rose of the dusk, permissive pleasures,
wisdom, prudence, and foresight, you look upon us with your roguish eyes,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose-poppy, ribbon of model maids, rose-poppy, glory of dolls, are you
simple or artful, plaything of little brothers, hypocrite flower, flower of
silence?
Rose red and black, rose insolent and secret, rose red and black, your
insolence and your red have grown pallid mid the compromises invented by virtue,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of slate, growing gray with vaporous virtues, rose of slate, you climb
and you flower near old lonely benches, rose of the twilight, hypocrite flower,
flower of silence.
Rose-peony, modest pride of luxuriant gardens, rose-peony, it was but by
chance the wind turned up your leaves, nor were you discontented, hypocrite
flower, flower of silence.
Rose of snow, color of snow and the wings of the swan, rose of snow, you
know that the snow is fragile, and you open your swan wings only to kings,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose hyaline, color of clear springs leaping forth amid grasses, rose
hyaline, Hylas died of the love of your eyes, hypocrite flower, flower of
silence.
Rose of opal, sultana asleep in the harem aroma, rose of opal, languor of
the continuous caress, your heart knows the profound peace of satiate vices,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Rose of amethyst, morning star, episcopal tenderness, rose of amethyst, you
slumber on devout and downy bosoms, jewel offered to Mary, vestry-nun jewel,
hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Cardinal rose, rose colored with the blood of the Roman church, cardinal
rose, you bring dreams to the wide eyes of favored ones, and many have pinned
you to a garter-knot, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Papal rose, rose watered by the hands that bless the world, papal rose,
your golden heart is brass, and the tears that pearl on your vain
corolla—are the tears of Christ, hypocrite flower, flower of silence.
Hypocrite flower,
Flower of silence.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net