'Tis the last rose of summer

Left blooming alone;

All her lovely companions

Are faded and gone;

No flower of her kindred,

No rose-bud is nigh,

to reflect back her blushes,

Or give sigh for sigh.

I'll not leave thee, thou lone¹ one!

To pine on the stem;

Since the lovely are sleeping,

Go, sleep thou with them.

thus kindly² I scatter³

Thy leaves o'er the bed

Where thy mates of the garden

Lie scentless⁴ and dead.

Soon may I follow,

When friendships decay,

And from Love's shining circle

The gems⁵ drop away.

When true hearts lie withered⁶,

And fond ones are flown,

O! who would inhabit

This bleak⁷ world alone?