The Last Rose of Summer

A poem by Thomas Moore, published in 1813 and set to a traditional Irish melody. Its solitary rose evokes the loss of beauty, friendship, and companionship.

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Thomas Moore: An Irish poet, singer, and songwriter whose works include the lyrics of “The Last Rose of Summer.” Moore wrote the poem in 1805 and published it in 1813.
Lyric poetry: Poetry that presents a speaker’s thoughts or feelings, often in a compact and musical form. Moore’s poem is a short, first-person lyric of grief and remembrance.
Rose symbolism: The use of the rose as a symbol, commonly associated with love, beauty, and transience. The solitary flower condenses the poem’s beauty and vulnerability into one image.
John Andrew Stevenson: An Irish composer and music editor who collaborated with Thomas Moore on the Irish Melodies. Stevenson arranged the music for Moore’s published song.
The Young Man's Dream: An Irish air collected by Edward Bunting and later associated with Moore’s “The Last Rose of Summer.” Moore adapted this traditional melody for his poem.
Stanza: A grouped set of poetic lines that forms a unit within a poem. The poem’s repeated stanza pattern gives its lament a songlike structure.
Memento mori: An artistic reminder that human life is mortal and that death is inevitable. The fading rose makes the lyric’s awareness of loss tangible.
Benjamin Britten: An English composer whose works include arrangements of traditional and historical songs. His setting of the song recasts the melody for voice and piano.
Edward Bunting: An Irish music collector who transcribed traditional harpers’ music, including the air later used for Moore’s poem. His collection preserved the melody before Moore supplied its familiar lyrics.
Refrain: A recurring line or phrase in a poem or song. The poem returns to the image of the lone rose to reinforce its central loss.