Thomas Hood

Ballad: It was not in the Winter

It was not in the Winter
Our loving lot was cast;

Seasonal Romance

The 'Time of Roses' is a deliberate metaphor for youth and passionate love. Notice how the phrase repeats throughout the poem.

It was the Time of Roses,—
We plucked them as we passed!
That churlish season never frown'd
On early lovers yet:—
Oh, no—the world was newly crown'd
With flowers when first we met!
'Twas twilight, and I bade you go,

Twilight Symbolism

Twilight represents a liminal moment between day and night, suggesting the delicate transition of romantic feeling.

But still you held me fast;

Seasonal Romance

The 'Time of Roses' is a deliberate metaphor for youth and passionate love. Notice how the phrase repeats throughout the poem.

It was the Time of Roses,—
We pluck'd them as we pass'd.—
What else could peer thy glowing cheek,
That tears began to stud?
And when I ask'd the like of Love,
You snatched a damask bud;

Damask Rose Detail

A damask rose is a specific, deep-pink variety with historical significance in European gardens. Here it symbolizes intimate emotion.

And oped it to the dainty core,
Still glowing to the last.—

Seasonal Romance

The 'Time of Roses' is a deliberate metaphor for youth and passionate love. Notice how the phrase repeats throughout the poem.

It was the Time of Roses,—
We plucked them as we pass'd!
Source Wikipedia Poetry Foundation

Reading Notes

Romantic Ritual of Plucking Roses

Thomas Hood's poem transforms the act of picking roses into a metaphor for romantic encounter. The repeated line 'We plucked them as we passed' suggests both spontaneity and ephemerality—love is beautiful but fleeting.

The poem uses seasonal imagery strategically, contrasting the 'churlish' winter with the lush, passionate 'Time of Roses'. This isn't just description, but a deliberate emotional landscape where love blooms briefly and intensely.

Technique of Repetition

Hood employs structural repetition to create emotional resonance. The line 'It was the Time of Roses' appears three times, functioning like a musical refrain that binds the poem's emotional experience.

The technical precision—short lines, ballad meter, strategic repetition—transforms a simple romantic moment into a universal statement about love's transient beauty.