Bliss Carman, et al., eds. The World’s Best Poetry.
Volume V. Nature. 1904. | | | | V. Trees: Flowers: Plants | | “’T is the last rose of summer” | | Thomas Moore (1779–1852) |
| | From “Irish Melodies”
’T IS the last rose of summer, | |
| Left blooming alone; | |
| All her lovely companions | |
| Are faded and gone; | |
| No flower of her kindred, | 5 |
| No rosebud, is nigh | |
| To reflect back her blushes, | |
| Or give sigh for sigh! | |
| |
| I ’ll not leave thee, thou lone one! | |
| To pine on the stem; | 10 |
| Since the lovely are sleeping, | |
| Go, sleep thou with them; | |
| Thus kindly I scatter | |
| Thy leaves o’er the bed | |
| Where thy mates of the garden | 15 |
| Lie scentless and dead. | |
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| So soon may I follow, | |
| When friendships decay, | |
| And from love’s shining circle | |
| The gems drop away! | 20 |
| When true hearts lie withered, | |
| And fond ones are flown, | |
| O, who would inhabit | |
| This bleak world alone? | | | | |
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