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| Rosa 'Darcey Bussell' & Rosa 'Queen of Sweden' 27 August 2025 |
There is something about looking at the roses in my garden and wanting to scan a couple of them as I did today. There is always a way to associate them with literature or history as roses have been around for a long time. In today’s case I found this poem by Samuel Bamford.
The Red Rose And The White. – Samuel Bamford – February 27, 1820
The red rose to the white rose
One day did greetings send;
With kindly salutation,
Addressing thus her friend;
My enemies are leagu'd around,
And sore they threaten me,
But justice surely will be found
When I appeal to thee.
The fences which in happier day
Secur'd me from all harm,
Are broken down, or torn away,
By many a ruffian arm;
And those who should have been at hand,
The violence to restrain;
Were join'd with the marauding band,
And now they share the gain.
They came not as the heroes came,
Who bore thee to the strife;
They came not as the heroes came,
Who stak'd for me their life;
For there the game went gallantly,
As might become the brave;
But this was coward cruelty,
When there were none to save.
My beauty and my sweetness,
Are drooping to decay;
For they have broken down my boughs,
And torn my buds away;
The slimy worm doth round me cling;
The filthy grub doth creep;
And whilst they are devouring,
How vainly do I weep.
And oft have I complained
To those who have the power;
To cause me reparation
For the ravage of my bower;
Foes have had much kindness shewn,
Whilst I had cold disdain;
They bared me to the blighting wind,
And to the frozen rain.
The white rose heard these tidings,
And bent her blossom fair,
Towards the rose of blushing red,
A friendship she did bear;
And grateful tears of fragrant dew,
Were in that moment shed,
When thus with kind affection
The white rose answered;
Come cheer thee up thou bonny flower,
For there are yet in store,
Full many a gowden summer day
When winter storms are o'er;
The reptile race that pester thee,
The fowls of air shall feed,
And thy dishonour'd enemy,
Shall suffer for his deed.
No more thy foes contriving,
Shall dare to treat thee so;
And all thy strength reviving,
In glory shalt thou grow;
For thine is but the cause of right,
Then leave it unto me,
And justice surely shall be done,
In thy extremity.
This was written on the approach of Bamford's trial at York, in 1820 following his arrest in connection with the infamous "Peterloo Massacre" in Manchester the previous year.
The "Red Rose" represents the House of Lancaster, while the "White Rose" represents the House of York. The poem depicts the Red Rose's lament of its oppression and the White Rose's promise of assistance. It reflects the political turmoil of the Wars of the Roses in 15th-century England. Unlike Bamford's later works, this poem employs a straightforward narrative style and lacks the rich symbolism and emotional depth of his more mature verse
