Within the courtyard of my home <br />There grows a rose-tree fair. <br />The passers-by all envy me <br />Those roses bright and rare! <br /> <br />In every rose there is a grief! <br />Some dexterous knife indeed <br />Seems to have pierced a thousand hearts; <br />The sunlight makes them bleed. <br /> <br />Like tears appear the dewdrops clear <br />It wears at break of day. <br />Who knows the mysteries it hides, <br />Of which it naught may say? <br /> <br />Its color and its perfume strange <br />Thrill to the bosom's core; <br />He who has once that fragrance breathed <br />Forgets it nevermore. <br /> <br />The fairest daughter of the Czar <br />Asked for my roses red <br />To weave a rich triumphal wreath <br />To crown her father's head. <br /> <br />'Pardon, your Highness, but my flowers <br />I could not bear to see <br />Adorn a chain to strangle men <br />Aspiring to be free.' <br /> <br />An elegant, proud Cardinal <br />For roses asked one day, <br />Upon his altar and his board <br />Their beauty to display. <br /> <br />'Your Eminence, excuse me, pray! <br />I did not nurse their grace <br />To make a table's garland bright, <br />Or deck an altar-place.' <br /> <br />With sad tears running down her cheeks, <br />To bitter grief a prey, <br />A maiden with an angel's heart <br />Came to my door today. <br /> <br />'Give me two roses, only two!' <br />She pleaded sighing deep; <br />'They will make sweet the lowly grave <br />Where lies my love asleep!' <br /> <br />Without a word, while fast as hers <br />My tears began to fall, <br />For that sweet maiden in her grief <br />I plucked my roses all. <br /> <br />To bring her ruddy offering <br />She flew with footstep light; <br />And straightway on my rose-tree bloomed <br />A myriad roses white.<br /><br />Fabio Fiallo<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-roses-of-my-rose-tree/
