Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE PRAISE OF ROSES, by PIERRE DE RONSARD



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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE PRAISE OF ROSES, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Pour we roses into wine!
Last Line: Drinking mid the summer's heat.
Subject(s): Beauty; Courts & Courtiers; Flowers; Hearts; Love; Praise; Roses


POUR we roses into wine!
In this good wine these roses
Pour, and quaff the drink divine
Till sorrow's hold uncloses
From our hearts, both mine and thine.

Kings and clowns from diverse ways
At Charon's boat are meeting.
None escape their fated days. . . .
Ah! friend, while time is fleeting
Let us sing the rose's praise.

Roses are the chief of all
The flowers in garden closes,
Flowers of joy, and therewithal
Of love -- and so the roses
"Venus' violets" I call.

Roses are Love's own bouquet
And joyance of the Graces.
Dawn doth give them pearls alway
Whose white their red enlaces
Dipped in dew at break of day.

Roses are the Gods' delight,
And maidens' best adorning,
Maidens deck their bosoms white
With crimson roses, scorning
Gold and gems, though ne'er so bright.

What is fair without the rose?
Beauty is born of roses.
Venus' skin is all one rose,
Aurora's touch is roses,
Rising suns have brows of rose.

Be my brows with roses crowned
In place of laurel's glory.
Call the twice-born God renowned,
Our father hale and hoary;
Spread him roses all around;

Bacchus loves the beauty sweet
Of crimson-petalled roses.
Roses fill his vine-retreat
Where care-free he reposes
Drinking mid the Summer's heat.





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