All June, I bound the rose in sheaves. Now, rose by rose…
““All June, I bound the rose in sheaves. Now, rose by rose, I strip the leaves, And strew them where Pauline may pass. She will not turn aside? Alas! Let them lie. Suppose they die? The chance was they might take her eye. How many a month I strove to suit These stubborn fingers to the lute! To-day I venture all I know. She will not hear my music? So! Break the string -- fold music's wing. Suppose Pauline had bade me sing! My whole life long I learned to love. This hour my utmost art I prove And speak my passion. -- Heaven or hell? She will not give me heaven? 'Tis well! Lose who may -- I still can say, Those who win heaven, blest are they.””
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 laments unrequited love, using floral imagery and music as metaphors for his devotion and frustration.
In simple terms: He feels love unreciprocated and expresses despair.
Key Takeaway
Accept love’s limits, seek self‑worth.
Themes
unrequited love
artistic expression
despair
romantic longing
Mood
melancholic
introspective
Type
poetic
dramatic
When to use this quote
- courtship
- creative performance
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
metaphor
symbolism
poetic voice
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you persist when love is unreciprocated?
- How can art express unfulfilled desire?
A Different Perspective
Love may not be returned despite effort.