Red is a colour associated with passion and with life. The "bed" here is one of sexual pleasure, as represented by the "crimson joy" of the rose and the "howling storm" of orgasm. The forbidden fruit of Eden and the demonic temptations are, of course, sex. Like a demon it "flies in the night" and shares its "dark secret love" with the mortal "rose" which it wishes to "destroy". In this second interpretation, the "worm" is a symbol of corruption. According to medieval legend, a particular class of demon is the incubus or succubus which visits sleeping victims, offering to slake their lustful appetites. In the Bible, we also learn of demons which tempt humanity into further sin in order to ensnare their souls.
In this interpretation, it is a poem about how "secret love" made "sick" and "destroy" the "rose" of humanity's state of grace in the Biblical narrative. The rose in its bed might represent the state of nature, the garden of Eden. So how can we interpret the metaphor?įirst, what is a "worm"? It could be a parasite or disease, sure, but it's also another word for a snake. However, the opening lines make it clear it should not be read literally: no "worm" is "invisible", nor does it "fly".
On the surface, it seems a poetic description of a rose flower sickening and dying due to a parasitic infection. There is no one answer: a key part of this poem's appeal is its ambiguity. In short: what does this poem really mean? I feel like I'm seeing half of the direct surface reading and half of the deeper hidden meaning, but not fully grasping either of them. I'm not sure what the rose symbolises in this reading of the poem though. There's a surface meaning here about a rose being destroyed by parasites in the flowerbed (although I don't know what kind of worms "fl in the night, In the howling storm" - does this line too have deeper significance, beyond specifying some particular members of the animal kingdom?) But the second verse at least has strong sexual undertones: the predator that destroys life with "his dark secret love" in "thy bed joy" sounds a lot like a rapist or an incubus. Find the perfect phrase for your next conversation from our extensive collection of idioms about animals.ĭiscover a collection of idioms about books! We’ve got hundreds of phrases and sayings related to books, perfect for your next conversation or essay.William Blake's very short poem "The Sick Rose", from his Songs of Innocence and of Experience, runs as follows: Learn the meanings behind the phrases and how they are used in common English vocabulary.
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Find the perfect expression of your love with us now!Įxplore common English idioms about food with this collection of phrases and expressions. Learn about the funny sayings that describe the unique behavior of children.ĭiscover the funniest idioms with our collection of fun phrases and sayings! With titles and keywords like “laughter is the best medicine” and “all fun and games”, you’ll never be short of a witty phrase.ĭiscover the most romantic idioms about love! Our category includes a wide variety of idioms and phrases about love for you to explore. This collection is packed with hilarious and entertaining idioms about kids! Find out the hidden meanings behind these common phrases and discover the humorous side of parenting.
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