Amelia Beers (Gavin) Warnock (‘Katherine Hale’) (1878–1956)

O SINGING Youth, thou wert to me

A pink rose of expectancy!

Laughing I laid thee on my breast,

All radiant of Joy’s bright quest.

Therewith, on the appointed day,

Came Life to meet me on the way;

A gold rose gave into my hand—

The seal of strength to understand.

Then, like some wide transforming morn,

Soul signalled soul and love was born,

And Youth that laughs and Life that knows

Melted into one crimson rose.

*****

Now God alone can make complete

This little garland soft and sweet,

And give me Death’s white rose of light,

For ever fresh, for ever bright,

That I may bind with cool green leaves

The flowers of Life with Death’s pale sheaves,

And send them, stripped of thorn and rue,

Perfect and passionless—to you.