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There has fallen a splendid tear From the passion-flower…

“There has fallen a splendid tear From the passion-flower at the gate. She is coming, my dove, my dear; She is coming, my life, my fate. The red rose cries, "She is near, she is near;" And the white rose weeps, "She is late;" The larkspur listens, "I hear, I hear;" And the lily whispers, "I wait."…” quote by Alfred Tennyson
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““There has fallen a splendid tear From the passion-flower at the gate. She is coming, my dove, my dear; She is coming, my life, my fate. The red rose cries, "She is near, she is near;" And the white rose weeps, "She is late;" The larkspur listens, "I hear, I hear;" And the lily whispers, "I wait." She is coming, my own, my sweet; Were it ever so airy a tread, My heart would hear her and beat, Were it earth in an earthy bed; My dust would hear her and beat, Had I lain for a century dead, Would start and tremble under her feet, And blossom in purple and red.””

Alfred Tennyson

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker describes an intense yearning for a beloved, using floral imagery to convey anticipation and emotional turbulence.

In simple terms: Longing for a loved one expressed through nature symbols.

Key Takeaway

Embrace patience and cherish the arrival of love.

Themes

love longing nature anticipation emotion

Mood

melancholic hopeful

Type

poetic romantic

When to use this quote

  • courtship
  • waiting for a partner
  • creative inspiration
  • grief processing

Key Concepts

romanticism symbolism personification

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does nature reflect inner desire?
  • What does waiting teach us about love?
A Different Perspective

The poem’s idealized longing may overlook practical relationship challenges.

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