The Wild Rose

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“The Wild Rose”
“The Wild Rose” by Wendel Berry is a closed-form poem of 10 lines. The first and second stanzas of the poem adopt a similar pattern or rhyme scheme and have four lines each. However, the third stanza is only made up of two lines. The first and second stanzas have an alternate rhyme scheme; ABAB CDCD. The poem is a ballad where Wendel Berry confesses his love for his wife. “Wild Rose” can be sung due to its lyrical scheme. In the poem, Berry is startled by the beauty of his life like never before.
The primary theme of the poem is love and romance. Berry compares his wife’s beauty to something that had been hidden from him. As a married man, Berry had lived with his wife, but he never realized how beautiful she was. However, one day, Berry starts noticing the beauty and glamor of his wife. Berry likens his wife’s beauty to “a wild rose looming at the edge of thicket” (Wandering Spirit Stanza 2 Line 6) The wild rose is a symbol of beauty and love. A wild rose is rare, and Berry’s comparison reveals that his wife’s beauty was exceptional.
Nowadays, the rate at which people are divorcing is alarming. Most incidences of divorce are due to lost love. Spouses are supposed to keep their relationship alive at all times, but this is not always the case. Berry had lived with his wife long enough, but he never appreciated her beauty and love. Appreciating the beauty of one’s partner helps keep the relationship lively and exciting.

Love is like a plant that needs to be watered each day to prevent it from withering. At times, spouses get occupied with earthly worries to the point that they hardly show interest in their partners. Berry’s poem is a wake-up call to all those who do not appreciate the presence of their partners in a relationship.
Work Cited
Wandering Spirit. “The Wild Rose”: A Poem of Love by Wendell Berry.”. Wandering Spirit, 2014, https://wandering-spirit.com/2014/01/01/the-wild-rose-a-poem-of-love-by-wendell-berry/. Accessed 27 Oct 2018.