Edmund Waller's poem "Go, Lovely Rose" is a tribute to the beauty and fleeting nature of youth. The poem is structured as a series of commands, urging the rose to "go" and "fade," while simultaneously praising its beauty and charm.
The first stanza of the poem sets the tone, as the speaker tells the rose to "go" and "fade," recognizing that its beauty will eventually wither and die. The speaker also acknowledges the rose's symbolic representation of youth and innocence, stating that it "deserves" to be "praised." This contrast between the rose's youth and its inevitable demise creates a sense of melancholy and nostalgia.
The second stanza further emphasizes the fleeting nature of youth, as the speaker urges the rose to "go" before it is "gathered" and "plucked." The use of the verb "gathered" suggests that the rose will be harvested and used for some purpose, perhaps as a symbol of the passing of time. The speaker also compares the rose to a "Virgin," suggesting that its youth and innocence are pure and untainted.
The final stanza of the poem shifts focus from the rose to the speaker, as the speaker reflects on his own mortality and the passage of time. The speaker admits that he too will "fade" and "die," just as the rose will. However, he takes solace in the fact that the memory of the rose's beauty will live on, even after it has passed away. The speaker concludes by declaring that the rose's beauty will be "remembered" and "praised," suggesting that its legacy will endure long after its physical form has withered.
Overall, "Go, Lovely Rose" is a poignant tribute to the beauty and fleeting nature of youth. Through the use of vivid imagery and poignant reflections on mortality, Waller masterfully captures the essence of the rose as a symbol of the passing of time. While the poem may be melancholic in nature, it ultimately serves as a celebration of the rose's beauty and the enduring nature of memory.
