The Funeral Rites of the Rose

1The Rose was sick, and smiling died;

2And, being to be sanctified,

3About the bed, there sighing stood

4The sweet and flowery sisterhood.

5Some hung the head, while some did bring,

6To wash her, water from the spring;

7Some laid her forth, while others wept,

8But all a solemn fast there kept.

9The holy sisters some among,

10The sacred dirge and trental sung;

11But ah! what sweets smelt everywhere,

12As heaven had spent all perfumes there!

13At last, when prayers for the dead,

14And rites, were all accomplished,

15They, weeping, spread a lawny loom,

16And closed her up as in a tomb.