Sweet Rose of Virtue

Sweet Rose of Virtue

by William Dunbar [1460-1525]

loose translation by Michael R. Burch

 

Sweet rose of virtue and of gentleness,

delightful lily of youthful wantonness,

richest in bounty and in beauty clear

and in every virtue that is held most dear,

except only that you are merciless.

 

Into your garden, today, I followed you;

there I saw flowers of freshest hue,

both white and red, delightful to see,

and wholesome herbs, waving resplendently,

yet everywhere, no odor but rue. 

 

I fear that March with his last arctic blast

has slain my fair rose of pallid and gentle cast,

whose piteous death does my heart such pain

that, if I could, I would compose her roots again,

so comforting her bowering leaves have been. 

Reviews

[John the Baptist]

An interesting translation of an old poem here. I wonder how the sweet rose of virtue could also be wanton. Also, she is merciless. Can she be sweet simultaneously? And in her beautiful garden, no odor but rue, or sorrow. Alas, she died young. Perhaps, Mr. Dunbar is not telling us the whole story about this young lady.

[Michael R. Burch]

This sort of thing happened quite a bit in courtly medieval poetry. Male poets were at the mercy of the women they desired. If their attentions were not returned, they were helpless. While I don't know the particulars in this case, I would guess that Dunbar was writing in the courtly tradition, perhaps in hope of receiving sexual favors.