| Nicholson & Lee, eds. The Oxford Book of English Mystical Verse. 1917. |
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| 229. The Rose of Flame |
| By William Sharp (1856–1902) |
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| OH, fair immaculate rose of the world, rose of my dream, my Rose! | |
| Beyond the ultimate gates of dream I have heard thy mystical call: | |
| It is where the rainbow of hope suspends and the river of rapture flows— | |
| And the cool sweet dews from the wells of peace for ever fall. | |
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| And all my heart is aflame because of the rapture and peace, | 5 |
| And I dream, in my waking dreams and deep in the dreams of sleep, | |
| Till the high sweet wonderful call that shall be the call of release | |
| Shall ring in my ears as I sink from gulf to gulf and from deep to deep— | |
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| Sink deep, sink deep beyond the ultimate dreams of all desire— | |
| Beyond the uttermost limit of all that the craving spirit knows: | 10 |
| Then, then, oh then I shall be as the inner flame of thy fire, | |
| O fair immaculate rose of the world, Rose of my dream, my Rose! | |
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