The Rose Without a Thorn

The Rose Without a Thorn

All earthly good still blends itself with harm;
Roses have thorns; a storm succeeds the calm;
Joys have their sorrows, laughter has its tears,
Sweets have their bitter drops, and hopes their
fears;
Day has its night, the sun its gloomy cloud,
The dimpled smile its sigh, and life its shroud.
One rose, howe'er, without a thorn is here,
Its beauty unalloyed, without compeer;
Thee, flow'r, I hail! of Eden's blest retreats
The only one to tell of Eden's sweets.
Fair emblem thou of heav'ns high bliss, where
reign,
Joys without sorrow, pleasures without pain;
Smiles without sighs, a day that knows no night,
A sun that fears no clouds t' eclipse its light.
Love's sparkling eye is never damn'd with tears;
And peace immortal reigns unmix'd with fears.

Unattributed

1:2, p. 8

1827.03.23