Song of a Poor Pilgrim + 

Roses all the rosy way! + 

Roses to the rosier west + 

Where the roses of the day + 

Cling to night’s unrosy breast! + 

Thou who mak’st the roses, why + 

Give to every leaf a thorn? + 

On thy rosy highway I + 

Still am by thy roses torn! + 

Pardon! I will not mistake + 

These good thorns that make me fret! + 

Goads to urge me, stings to wake, + 

For my freedom they are set. + 

Yea, on one steep mountain-side, + 

Climbing to a fancied fold, + 

Roses grasped had let me slide + 

But the thorns did keep their hold. + 

Out of darkness light is born, + 

Out of weakness make me strong: + 

One glad day will every thorn + 

Break into a rose of song. + 

Though like sparrow sit thy bird + 

Lonely on the house-top dark, + 

By the rosy dawning stirred + 

Up will soar thy praising lark; + 

Roses, roses all his song! + 

Roses in a gorgeous feast! + 

Roses in a royal throng, + 

Surging, rosing from the east! + 