Living

Roses blushing red and white

by Christina Rossetti 1830–1894

From Sing-Song (1872/1893)

Living

Roses blushing red and white,
For delight;
Honeysuckle wreaths above,
For love;
Dim sweet-scented heliotrope,
For hope;
Shining lilies tall and straight,
For royal state;
Dusky pansies, let them be
For memory;
With violets of fragrant breath,
For death.

MLA

Rossetti, Christina. “Roses blushing red and white.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/140/.

Chicago

Rossetti, Christina. “Roses blushing red and white.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/rossetti_c/140/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

More by Christina Rossetti