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Very old are the woods; And the buds that break Out of the brier's boughs, When March winds wake, So old with their beauty are-- Oh, no man knows Through what wild centuries Roves back the rose.
Walter De La Mare
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote reflects on the timeless beauty of nature, specifically the rose, and hints at the mystery of its enduring existence through the ages.

Walter De La Mare's quote captures the essence of nature's beauty and its ancient history, suggesting that while the rose has flourished for centuries, its origins and the journey it has taken remain a mystery to mankind. The imagery of the woods and the breaking buds signifies the cyclical renewal of life, while also provoking contemplation on the passage of time and the wonders of growth that continue to inspire awe.

Themes

NatureBeautyTimeMysteryRose

In practice

Example use cases

During a speech about environmental conservation, one might use the quote to emphasize the beauty and history of natural flora.

More from Walter De La Mare

Slowly, silently, now the moon _x000D_ Walks the night in her silver shoon.
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He got out of bed and peeped through the blinds. To the east and opposite to him gardens and an apple-orchard lay, and there in strange liquid tranquility hung the morning star, and rose, rilling into the dusk of night the first grey of dawn. The street beneath its autumn leaves was vacant, charmed, deserted.
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Tell them I came, and no one answered, That I kept my word," he said. Never the least stir made the listeners, Though every word he spake Fell echoing through the shadowiness of the still house From the one man left awake: Ay, they heard his foot upon the stirrup, And the sound of iron on stone, And how the silence surged softly backward, When the plunging hoofs were gone.
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