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Home  »  The Oxford Book of English Verse  »  831. A White Rose

Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.

John Boyle O'Reilly. 1844–1890

831. A White Rose

THE red rose whispers of passion, 
  And the white rose breathes of love; 
O the red rose is a falcon, 
  And the white rose is a dove. 
 
But I send you a cream-white rosebud         5
  With a flush on its petal tips; 
For the love that is purest and sweetest 
  Has a kiss of desire on the lips.