Today’s poetic offering is not technically a poem, but the lines [below] from William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet are written in verse form–specifically in blank verse (unrhymed iambic pentameter). You remember that from high school English, right? The words, spoken by Juliet to Romeo, contain arguably the most famous “rose lines” ever written–though Gertrude Stein’s “a rose is a rose is a rose” offers stiff competition.
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?
Deny thy father, and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
[…]
‘Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself though, not a Montague.
What’s Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot,
Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a man. O! be some other name:
What’s in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call’d,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name;
And for that name, which is no part of thee,
Take all myself.
About the image: The roses above are from my mother’s garden. No matter what time of year we visit, the roses greet us. This photo was shot in mid-February on my iPhone, a couple of weeks before the CV madness. I’m grateful we made the trip when we did.
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An enchanting piece of poetry and an equally enchanting rose, dear Chandra.
Thank you for sharing on #WordlessWednesday with us.
Much love.
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Thank YOU for reading! See you next week!
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Aye, aye! 🙂
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Indeed, one of the most famous lines in English Literature! The rose, no less famous than the Bard, especially as other blooms pale in comparison with its beauty and fragrance! I can imagine how much you must be missing your mother’s beautiful garden. Maybe, you can ask her to send you some photos, until things improve and you are able to visit her again.
As always, a pleasure to see you link up with your lovely thought-provoking post, dear Chandra. Stay safe and stay positive.
Happy #ww!
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Thank you! See you next time!
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Love the images and the poem! There are now nearly ten inches of snow on the ground here in Fort Collins, CO, so the picture of that rose basking in the sun delights my soul today!
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Thank you! I’m not sure if I can handle 10 inches of snow in mid-April! I’m happy my mother’s roses gave you a bit of respite from the cold!
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