Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). An American Anthology, 1787–1900. 1900.

By Edith MatildaThomas

1161 The Betrayal of the Rose

A WHITE rose had a sorrow—

And a strange sorrow!

For her sisters they had none,

As they all sat around her

Each on her feudal throne.

A strange sorrow

For one with no to-morrow,

No yesterday, to call her own,

But only to-day.

A white rose had a sorrow—

And a sweet sorrow!

She had locked it in her breast

Save that one outer petal,

Less guarded than the rest

(Oh, fond sorrow!),

From the red rose did borrow

Blushes, and the truth confessed

In the red rose’s way!