A Ballade of Roses
Τὸ ῥόδον τὸ τῶν ἐρώτων.
When Venus saw Ascanius sleep
On sweet Cythera’s snow-white roses
His face like Adon’s made her weep,
And long to kiss him where he dozes;
But fearing to disturb the boy,
She kissed the pallid blooms instead,
Which blushed and kept their blush for joy,
When Venus kissed white roses red.
Straight of these roses she did reap
Sufficient store of pleasant posies,
And coming from Cythera’s steep
Where every fragrant flower that grows is,
She tossed them for the winds to toy
And frolic with till they were dead.
Heaven taught the earth a fair employ
When Venus kissed white roses red.
For each red rose the symbol deep
In its sad, happy heart encloses
Of kisses making love’s heart leap,
And every summer wind that blows is
A prayer that ladies be not coy
Of kisses ere brief life be sped.
There gleamed more gold in earth’s alloy
When Venus kissed white roses red.
Envoy.
All lovers true since windy Troy
Flamed for a woman’s golden head,
You gained surcease from life’s annoy
When Venus kissed white roses red.
Justin Huntly McCarthy.