"The Sick Rose" was written by the British poet William Blake.

First published in Songs of

Innocence and Experience in 1794, it is one Blake's best-known poems, while also remaining one of
his most enigmatic. In eight short lines, the speaker addresses the "Rose" of the title, telling it that an
"invisible worm" has made it sick. This crafty worm has flown through a stormy night to satisfy its
"dark secret love" in the rose's "bed"—an action that will "destroy" the rose's life. The poem is filled
with symbolism, but there are a wide range of theories about what, exactly, the worm and rose
represent. Generally speaking, the worm is a corrupting figure, preying on the innocent life-force of
the beautiful rose. Both worm and rose are personified, and the poem is heavy with sexual suggestion
—leading many critics to theorize that the poem depicts the oppression of sexuality and desire by the
Christian authorities of the day.

Text of “The Sick Rose”

O Rose thou art sick.
The invisible worm,
That flies in the night
In the howling storm:

Has found out thy bed

Of crimson joy:
And his dark secret love
Does thy life destroy.
The Sick Rose’ by William Blake is a two stanza poem that is separated into two sets of four lines, or
quatrains. These quatrains follow a consistent rhyme scheme that conforms to the pattern of ABCB
DEFE.
Images and Symbols
The symbols within ‘The Sick Rose’ are very important, as are the ways Blake describes these symbols.
The most prominent is the rose itself. Without much consideration, a reader should realize that the
rose is there to represent nature and fragility, but also has a deeper, more important meaning. The
rose is also used as a symbol for female purity, and in this case, chastity.

Alongside the rose, there is the worm, without which there would be no poem. As soon as the poem
begins the speaker informs the rose that it is sick. The reason for its sickness is the worm which is in
the process of destroying the rose’s life. This makes sense if one only reads from a simple nature
perspective. But a reader should really take into consideration the phallic nature of the worm and the
way it enters into the roses “bed” and uses “his dark secret love.” The worm takes the roses virginity,
therefore ruining her life.