Go, lovely rose! Tell her that wastes her time and me That now she knows, When I resemble her to thee, How sweet and fair she seems to be.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The speaker compares a woman to a rose, telling her that her beauty is sweet and fair but also noting she wastes time.
- In plain terms
- You are beautiful like a rose, but you are wasting time.
- What can you take from it?
- Recognize your beauty before time passes.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How does comparing people to nature affect how we value them?
- What does wasting time mean in a romantic context?
Another view
The metaphor reduces complex human traits to a simple flower.
More from Edmund Waller
My joy, my grief, my hope, my love, Did all within this circle move!
Permalink to quote #6 How small a part of time they share That are so wondrous sweet and fair!
Permalink to quote #8 That which her slender waist confined Shall now my joyful temples bind; No monarch but would give his crown His arms might do what this has done.
Permalink to quote #5
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