Along Came a Young Rose

A Rose without thorns or thistles
      found her way into my life;
like a ray of light and of love,
      she pierced my inward strife.

From faraway she appeared,
      sage, young and maiden;
and as she grew closer to me,
      she saw in me her twin.

But from fear and from distrust
      I sought to push her away:
For I feared to let her in and
      let her have with me her sway.

This I did twice now already;
      but dear God in Heaven!—
by doing thus all I’ve achieved
      was hurting my 'oft-hurt twin.

Alas, alas! what have I done
    to one so giving and so kind?
I am unworthy of her friendship
    and of her heart and lovely mind.

But…O happy, happy day for me!
      With her great heart and soul
she forgave my double offense
      so that we may again be whole.

My comely, long and sable-haired Rose
      with your apple-green eyes!
How good to me you are,—how kind,
      how mild, how sweet, how very wise!

I am so honored that you call
      yourself my twin and equal,
a version of me at twenty-five:—
      indeed, we are reciprocal.

You have so much potential and
    mastered so much, dear Rose,
that you ought not have to live
      under self-doubt’s shadows.

Sadly, you once said to me: “Men
      like me, but I don’t see why.”
But I see why, dear—for those you 
      love you would sacrifice and die.

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